Know Thyself
by KaeTai
Summary: My name is Kathryn. And I'm a lucid dreamer. And there's thing that I can't understand: why, oh why I have a strange feeling that my long forgotten nightmare is not so simple as I wanted to think? And who was that strange lady, dressed in blue and gold?..
1. Intro: the wake before

Kai: So, this is a piece of fanfiction. =) First, I must admit, that all this is my crazy idea. My friend is good ficwriter, so... X) really, that happened than she told me about NiGHTs and all this fandom. at first I was not amused, but than... ohhoho... Soo... this is merely funfiction, wrote.. in... 2008.  
Obsession is not very good thing, yeah...  
So.. if you don't like the idea - don't read. She is not Mary Sue... may be. X))) I just took ny idea, invade my friend's brains... So - this was the outcome.

BTW, I love NiGHTs, Reala, and others with all my heart. this is just my evil desire to have a piece of them))) Don't kill us))

**The wake before**

The girl was sitting in a chair, holding a thick paper folder close to her chest with her arms crossed. She was sitting quietly, with a calm air around her, fingering her folder lightly.

A middle aged man, sitting in a chair next to girl's, let a silent sigh escape him.

- It's okay, doctor, - the girl said in a calm, if not apathetic voice, - Me myself still don't know what that dream means.

- No, it's not okay, Kathy, - the man sounded a little tired, - Nightmares are, as a rule, a sign something is not okay.

- I know, - she nodded, - It's this... com-pen-sa-tory reaction, or something.

- Right. Dreams reflect our experience in the real world, you know that. And when we encounter something scary, or something that bothers us, or just feel bad about ourselves, then we have nightmares. Usually, they tell us to pay attention or change, but...

But. It has been always that little "but" that put the whole case at a stand.

Kathryn was a normal eleven years old girl - good family of both parents and an older brother, a set of loving relatives, a pet cat, several friends, and an usual girls' childhood route. Now, of course there were times when her parents would argue, or her brother would tease her, or times where she would get scolded at school, or fighting with a friend over the choice of the best cartoon hero... But all of this was normal, too. It simply wasn't stressful enough to cause bad dreams. Not dreams about being killed.

And Kathryn's bad dreams were about that.

It was, in fact, the dream. One single dream she seemed to have with no pattern whatsoever - she might have had it after a perfectly good day or a bad throughout one alike. Some other night she might have had a nice dream, but the next one the nightmare was here for her. He could tell most of it by heart already.

It rarely seemed to change. It was much more likely that Kathy was able to remember more details. She would be among scary persons, and she would have all sorts of fun together with them. When doctor asked her what kind of fun it was, Kathy seemed to think carefully before she said they were teasing other people. But she didn't seemed quite sure, and not that she couldn't remember - either she didn't want to or simply didn't wish to tell.

There was a lady dressed in blue, she told him once, with that really tough look on her. The lady said it's for the better, that those people would get stronger eventually. And it would be even more fun after that.

But apparently, while having fun, Kathy break some rules and get herself excluded from the games. It's that huge person, she said, kind of a principal or a very strict father. He sends her away. To fight and, eventually, die, no matter the result.

And only after she has died Kathy can wake up.

The creepiest part is, she said, is when my throat starts to swell and I begin choke on it. It's weird, because you aren't suppose to feel anything in a dream.

It's weird, she says, because in that dream I'm not supposed to have a throat to swell.

The man let another silent, baffled sigh escape his mouth. It just didn't make any sense. Kathy wasn't a bully, nor was she feared. She didn't have that kind of a lady or a huge person around her. She was getting along fine with her parents and her brother. No unreasonable pressure, no stress, no repressed wishes. Nothing. Just the nightmare several times a month for the past year or so.

And the middle aged kid psychiatrist was quite convinced it wasn't just the past year.

The girl pulled a loose strand of her fair hair.

- I've got some more pictures, if that helps, - she said with some reluctance.

He took her with a nod and began to flip through papers slowly. "If that helps", she says. And she well means it. She knew she wasn't being a nuisance, and no one thought she was being stubborn. It was more like... she didn't want to take his time. Almost in a grown-up way.

They had agreed she would put any picture she drew here in the folder. Dolls and princesses in fancy dresses. Fairies and dragons. Small doodles drawn on margins of her notebooks. Heroes with magic staffs. Some black and toothy things. Funny multicolored creatures, a mismatch of animal parts. Lots of grinning faces. Chubby goggle eyed angels in ruffs and blue jackets. Flowers. Pictures made of dark and murky blotches. Some clawed hands. Simply put, pictures of thing she liked, disliked, or took from her dreams.

And that nightmare too, of course.

He stopped at a piece she drew recently. A picture of someone tall, clad in a black-and-red mantle - at least it looked like a mantle - with dark-red horns and a yellow face with a wide and rather unsetting grin. Or, rather, it was a mask, with some black zigzags on its sides. In large hands of that person was a small, lightly-colored figure - the psychiatrist assumed it was the girl herself.

- Kathy? Can you tell me more about this person? - he asked, giving her the picture. He also assumed it was that huge person from the nighmare, and was prepared for a long, withdrawn pause. Quite unlikely she'd want to return to that one.

She gave the picture a brief glance.

- Oh, that's the Mask. I drew him yesterday, - she said in a surprisingly light voice. She tilted her head a little, - And I still think I did it all wrong. He didn't seem to wear a cloak, for one thing.

- The Mask? Is that his name?

- No-o, - she appeared thoughtful, - He was called by... some other name, I don't remember which. He was among the scarypersons. He's their leader or something, with that blue lady.

- And you were having fun with them, right? Playing tricks on people?

- Uh-uh, - she nodded, but a slight tension didn't escaped psychiatrist's sight.

- What is he like?

- Um... like the rest of scarypersons? - she set her eyes on her picture again, - I mean, he's strong, and not what you call good or friendly, he's arrogant, but, uhhh... he's reliable in a way. That huge person is always pleased with him.

- Like that blue lady?

- Somewhat, - she shrugged, - She's not that strong. Less muscles.

- How do you think, - the psychiatrist carefully ventured, - If this Mask was to tell your dream from his point of view, what would he have said?

Kathryn seemed to be surprised, if not baffled.

- We do, um, have fun together, but... it's not like we're having it with each other, see? We're not supposed to, anyway...

- He's not the one you fight, is he?

- No, - she was absolutely sure about that, - There's none of scarypersons when... when that happens. But I think there might have been the blue lady around...

She pulled a strand of hair again.

- It's actually quite sad he's not with me. But only I can go, see? I did something father thought was bad...

- I think it's enough for today, Kathy, - the psychiatrist said softly, returning her picture folder, - I'm sorry. I will meet you next week, and then we will try again to understand what's wrong.

- Okay. Goodbye, doctor, - the girl stood up and headed for the door. There, she turned around, - Doctor?

- Yes, Kathy?

- I think I might have to understand that myself. It's like that fight - only I can go, you see?


	2. The first night

Night 1

The girl looked around with mild puzzlement.

She was having a nightmare, she recalled clearly. Not the nightmare, just a nightmare. Shooting zombies was more thrilling in a dream than in-game, she has to admit, but them grabbing her bare feet was just too much. Then, she tried to wake herself up. Then, as she was floating up to what she thought would be her bed, she found herself at this place. Still dreaming - she couldn't have sleep walked to some fountain in her neighborhood. For one thing, she has never been sleep walking and didn't feel like trying. And there wasn't any fountain this big in her neighborhood, much less located in what looked like a middle of the forest. Not to say surrounded by doors and archways in various states of crumbling down.

- So I haven't woken up and apparently, - she checked her hands in order to be sure, - Yep, I'm lucid. And quite lucid at that, too. Cool.

She looked around again, a light gush of wind tugging at her nightgown and long hair. She was actually standing on a wide paved road that led to a paved circle with a fountain in the middle of it. On either side of the road were trees that looked like firs and grew in a cheerful foresty manner with no alleyways order whatsoever. Behind her were the lodge-gate - she saw a similar one in some old park when she was younger, a huge thing cast in iron. The one from her childhood looked grumpy, though, just like that eldery man who was taking great care that grass wouldn't be walked upon, trees would be watched from afar, no flower would be sniffed at, benches would be constantly coated in fresh paint, all the visitors would walk along the alleys in columns, and the park would have a general order of a prison on a break. That park's fencing resembled bars, too.

Musing, the girl walked towards the lodge-gate. This one looked a lot more welcoming. She poked a fancy swirl tinted green with a curious look on her face. Much more eldery, too.

She walked down the road and then stopped at the end of it. A very literal one - the road just ended in a cliff, like this piece of land was dug up and lifted in the sky. She looked down and saw a hazy blackness, with a tint of blueish violet.

She looked up at the night sky full of stars and headed towards the fountain. The pavement under her bare feet felt oddly bumpy and cool.

They said you aren't supposed to feel when you dream, but she could prove it wrong alright. Okay, she didn't felt anything when that missile hit her some other dream, but tactile sensations weren't at all nonexistent.

She stood by the fountain, squinting her eyes to make out vague shapes of colored fishes swimming in the clear waters. Falling droplets weren't rushing at all - following an invisible arch, they gracefully slid down to the surface, making a calm lulling sound. The girl touched the side of the fountain - it looked like marble, but felt less smooth and cold.

She gave another look to her surroundings. What confused her is how solid everything seemed. The dreamscape was queer enough to be aware of its dream nature, but otherwise, there was not much difference between this and the real world. No feeling bodiless. No restricted vision. And the scene around her didn't seem to want changing itself while she wasn't looking.

The girl heaved a slightly disappointed sigh and sat on the wellhead. At least doors looked promising, the most complete of them anyway. They appeared as an ordinary wooden doors with stained glass parts, and they didn't seem to lead anywhere - they just were there, like those doors on sale she once saw in a mall. But she had a feeling of certainty that these door actually lead to somewhere. She imagined how she'd open the door and see a colorful lunapark, then look behind it and see a flat wall on the other side, but in the doorway there'd be the lunapark alright...

She snapped out of her musing, finally taking a notice on something that entered her vision.

It was an owl. Looked like one, anyway. Quite a puffy and brown, too, with beady blue eyes and an expression of a serious, calm examination. And the owl was wearing a pair of glasses on top of its beak, a navy blue jacket and a wine red waistcoat with some blue brooch. The girl wondered if it can fly with sleeves covering its wings, and had to remind herself she was dreaming. The owl could as well be floating or simply teleporting to and fro.

- Good evening, - the girl said politely, trying not to look too curious.

- Oh, my goodness me, - owl's voice sounded like that of a kindly old man, - Good evening, young Visitor.

She thought about that "visitor" for a moment. It sounded like a set term.

- My name is Kathryn, - she continued, - What's yours?

- I am called Owl, - the girl thought the owl could be smiling, if he didn't have a beak, - Simply Owl. It's your first time here at Dream Plaza, I presume?

- Dream Plaza. That's how it's called, - she looked around, thinking about it as she did about "visitor", - I suppose so.

- And you seem to be lucid... - the owl sounded oddly thoughtful.

- I'm not even sure it's a dream, so lucid I am. Do laws of physics still apply here?

It seemed that the bird has snapped out of whatever he was thinking about.

- Oh, hmm, laws of physics? Well, I'd say it depends on person...

A few notes flew through the air, in a clear voice of a flute. The girl turned her head around, looking for the source of it.

- That was a flute just now, wasn't it?

- Oh, yes, it was. And here I was thinking when that little troublemaker is going to present himself...

That what Kathryn assumed was "that little troublemaker" sped trough the sky in a fancy line, leaving a line of sparkles behind. Just as she has followed it to the trees and searched among the firs, it came from the other side and flew in a wide circle above the fountain. Kathryn heard a gentle plop sound, like a plug coming out, and more sparkles drifted down.

- I've told you countless times, young man, no paralooping here at Dream Plaza! - Owl said in a worrying tone, flying up, and the girl thought that no bird in the real world could get away with flapping it's wings in such slow manner, much less holding them perpendicular to the ground. No reason behind the way things behave - check.

- Ah, come on, it's not like it can cause any harm, - the purple creature said innocently, laying in an invisible hammock by now. No gravity and levitating - check.

- You destroyed a perfectly good door the other night!

- Gee, was it that old, half-crumbled archway? But didn't I scared away some marens like I always do? Honestly, you're so grumpy for no reason...

Kathryn examined the creature. It appeared human-like with weird proportions, dressed in a purple trico, a pink waistcoat with an orange ruffled collar, sleeves white and long. He was wearing what looked like a jester hat, purple as well.

- And who's this girl here? - he exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, leaning towards Kathryn. She blinked, somewhat startled - the eyes looking straight into hers were huge and catlike. The creature could be more or less human form of a Cheshire Cat, she thought.

- Hi, my name is NiGHTS! - in a happy voice he held out his hand, and when she took it, gave her a several good shakes, - Delighted to see you! You're a lucid dreamer, right? Right?

- Yes, - the Owl said gravely, - Her name is Kathryn. And you should be good and let go of her hand, NiGHTS, otherwise you might as well tear it off.

- Oopsie, - he giggled, - Sorry about that, Kathy.

The girl shook her hand a little to get rid of the slight numbness, eyeing NiGHTS' floating hands. He didn't seem to have any wrists - and then again she had to ask herself if this jester person was really a male. Vague androgyn - check. She frowned a little at the diminutive, but couldn't decide whether she liked this or not. NiGHTS just seemed that open kind of person who makes friends easily. Quite possible being over-friendly and violating personal spaces in the process.

- Nice to meet you, - Kathryn said, feeling some small flickers of excitement, - I'm pretty much new here.

She eyed NiGHTS as he moved up and down in the air, floating above the ground, and felt an odd urge to pull at his hat to see if he really didn't have any neck. She also wondered if he can lose his head. Can he play with it like it was a ball?

- You're brave one, - NiGHTS has finally grinned, showing a row of pearly-white, and seemingly pointy teeth, - Most of the kids have that really funny look on their faces, like there's some ol' Puffy before them.

- Really, why would they feel that way? - Kathryn tilted her head at how Owl said that.

- Right, no reason whatsoever! - NiGHTS gave a small carefree laugh.

- Why do I feel you are not being completely honest about something... - the girl mused aloud.

NiGHTS laugh came to a halt.

- Beg your pardon?

- That, or you are just sharing some private joke, - Kathryn shrugged, - None of my business anyway, I suppose.

There was a small silence shared between them. NiGHTS appeared somewhat restless.

- Say, Kathy, how about flying? - he asked, obviously trying to look inoccent.

- What about flying? - she blinked at him, - If that your way of asking if I like flying, then okay, I do. Why?

- That's just great! - NiGHTS leaped in the air, drawing a circle. There was that soft plop sound again, and Owl flapped away hurriedly, crying "No paralooping, for the last time, no paralooping at the Dream Plaza!".

Kathryn was waiting.

- I here am able to let you fly! - NiGHTS said in a really happy voice.

- Oh. Thank you. And?

NiGHTS has stopped circling in the air and looked at her funnily.

- Don't you want to? - he said in puzzlement.

- Only if I'm sure I can't fly otherwise, - she firmly told him. Trickters talking into shady bargains - check. She wondered what could he have asked in return.

- Do dreamers fly? - NiGHTS turned to Owl, looking puzzled still.

- I can't say they are unable to, - the bird carefully replied.

NiGHTS seemed crestfallen, his shoulders sag.

- But that's no fun..,

- Actually, I must say that was pretty useful the other time you got yourself captured. If those dreamers didn't manage to...

- That was urgent! You don't compare things like that! What fun it is if she just walk around here?

- Mind your manners, young man, don't insult our Visitor...

- I don't think she'd mind, - NiGHTS said, pouting like a kid, - She's gone, anyway.

Owl looked around, feeling a bit of a worry. Dreamers at Dream Plaza weren't that rare, but quite uncommon none the less. It wasn't like they were a tell-tale that an horde of marens were heading towards dreamscapes to conquers Nightopia one more time, not with Wiseman and his bunch of minions running their nightmaren business, decently in the Mare as they should...

- Oh, my goodness me... Kathryn! - the owl hurried after the girl. It just wasn't customary for the dreamer to walk around the Dream Plaza unobserved.

He saw the girl by a stream, then NiGHTS flew past him, and then he heard him exclaim.

Kathryn was floating over the stream, with a focused expression on her face, and a way of moving like that of a helium-filled balloon someone tug at.

- Gee, is that what you call flying? - NiGHTS moved around her all giddy.

- Don't be in my way, - the girl said, narrowing her eyes and touching stream's bank with one feet. She carefully landed and looked back at the running water, - I thought I was better than that. And here I've expected a lot from this dream. What a pity.

- Yeah, Dream Plaza is like that, - NiGHTS was ready to agree, - So dull and quiet.

- Well, excuse me! - Owl seemed offended.

- I mean it in a good way! Surely there must be a place like that to, er... what was it again?

- Observing and organizing, - Owl said in a grave tone, readjusting glasses on his beak, - Something well beyond your grasp.

- Nah, I'm fine with flying.

Kathryn frowned. There was some thought in her head, the kind that is annoying just so it can get your attention. She took a notice the thought was here, and tried to catch its tail.

She wasn't in any ordinary dream, she mused. These two weren't just some figments of her imagination. She couldn't tell why, but there was something about the whole scene around her she couldn't put her finger on.

Like... it was alien. She was really just visiting this place. She felt a little airheaded - it was like she breached into another dimension. She suddenly remembered how they say that the dreamworld is, in fact, a whole different world on its own.

- Observing and organizing, you said? - Kathryn said out loud, a little bit afraid she might wake up before she'd be able to ask, - Like in a database? How do you do that?

- Merely by seeing and organizing, - Owl looked at her, sensing something serious to come about, - Why?

- I, uh, kind of look for someone. It's not that important, I just want to meet that person, to see how they are doing.

Owl and NiGHTS exchanged glances.

- A person, you say? - Owl specified, - A kind of a Visitor, a person from the Waking?

Kathryn stopped and gave her thoughts a bit more examination.

- No, - she said firmly, - I don't think it's someone from the waking. I've never met anyone close enough, my mind is not that twisted.

- You mean, you look for someone within a dream?

- Yeah, kind of.

- I don't think it could be someone from the waking, - Owl's brows furrowed, - I would knew.

- Pians, then? - NiGHTS assumed.

- Could be. Tell me, Kathryn, - the bird asked, - What did this person looked like? When was the last time you saw him?

- It's a woman, I think, - the girl began, and looked at NiGHTS, - I've been always thinking that was a lady, anyway. I, uhh... I suppose that was around six... maybe seven years ago since I had last saw her. But I think that I might, just might, have seen her somewhere... around the place. She was dressed in blue, quite pretty, and I think she was rather smart... uhh, she was among the scaryperson, I thought she was one of their leaders.

- Scarypersons? - NiGHTS tilted his head, with a funny expression on his face.

- Uhhh, - Kathryn searched for a way to describe the term she used as a child, - There were a bunch of some weird, dangerous-looking guys. They were going around making a mess, scaring people... stealing something, I'm not quite sure what. It was for some huge guy.

- And that lady was their leader, - Kathryn imagined Owl and NiGHTS were sending a bunch of frantic telepathic messages to each other.

- One of them, from the look of it.

- Some lady dressed in blue, - NiGHTS repeated, - A leader of a dangerous villains, stealing something for some huge guy.

He exchanged glances with Owl again.

- How are you related to them, dear? - the bird asked softly.

- I've no idea, - Kathryn had to admit honestly.

But just as NiGHTS was going to ask her something, something akin to a bellowing thunder roared throughout the sky, she felt herself screaming... and then she found herself sitting up in her bed in a frantic motion, shaken by her alarm clock ringing, as she thought, in her very head.

She closed her eyes shut and tried to cling onto the images of the fountain, the eldery bird, the purple jester and their talk.

The girl was sure she has gotten closer to her goal.

* * *

So - here comes NiGHTS) =) Well heh - what so you think about it, ne? +)


	3. The second night

The second night

The ballroom was dimly lit with a warm orange glow. Walls were distand, hidden behind a dusty haze, and the ceiling seemed nonexistant, vanishing into an ink-black frigid sky.

She slid over the fancy parquetry. The next dance was about to begin. She could see faint and uncertain figures of the other dancers in the hazy distance by the walls. She knew that if she didn't find a partner for the dance, struggling through the mass of dancing pairs would be a real problem. Not to say that would be rather embarrasing.

But as much as she wanted to, she couldn't lift her head and look around.

- While we are here, shall we dance? - a gentle voice emerged and she looked up and around, startled.

It turned out that there was a lady behind her. She squinted her eyes - the lady was dressed in a blue dress with layers of skirts that looked flowing, as if in waters, along with her ridiculously long silvery hair. Her dress didn't look too fancy - which was rather surprising, since she suddenly realised they were on a masquerade.

The lady, however, was wearing a golden mask decorated with feathers. Her face also seemed covered with a veil, as her features was subtle and escaping her vision.

She looked down on herself and realised she had been wearing a gentlemanly attire.

- I'm playing the knight role again, right? - she asked.

- Not that I can help it, - the lady answered in a slightly annoyed voice, - My effeminacy is more than enough for the both of us.

- Yes, but you always leave the weakest parts of said effeminacy to me, - she felt insulted, - And then you make me your knight.

- I don't need you as my knight, - the lady waved her hand nonchalantly, - Accept me and you will get your dress back.

- You are going to ruin me.

- Devour. I'm going to devour you, just as I got you to devour me. The butterfly would be beautiful, if there is any butterfly. Ever heard of that dragon that ate his own tail and lived forever?

- Which part of the dragon I am exactly?

- Scales and liver. I'm fine with the heart and claws.

She realised that she had already began dancing with the lady, in a slow waltzing circles. Her features, albeit being closer, weren't any clearer. But her large almond-shaped eyes were gleaming with a mysterious glow.

- We've met already, a few years ago, haven't we?

- Yes, and a long time before that.

- I've been falling a great deal, I only want to know - why?

- Should you care? That's my role.

- Caring?

- I meant falling. Isn't it funny how you fly forward but don't go anywhere?

- But you want me to go there in your place.

- Not that you have to. I'm perfectly fine with the heart.

- I know you're lying.

The lady gave her a soft laugh.

- I am fine with the heart. It's warm there, in the back.

- But I'm going to live as a man if you are there!

- More likely something inbetween. I will never meet anyone good enough. So it doesn't even worth trying.

And she knew the lady was right. There wasn't anyone good enough around her. There wasn't and would never be anyone like... like that person.

- You know, when that prince got those eyes of his blinded, - the lady mused, - Did he really accepted the girl when she found him?

- You mean he didn't care if it was her?

- I think that if the door was shut once, it would never open up again.

- They say you can always look for a window.

- Yes, and be killed as an outlaw.

She stopped.

- I still don't understand. What do you want from me exactly?

The lady stared into her eyes seriously.

- I want to live, - she said softly and firmly, - I want to remain strong. However distant, I want to live up to his expectations. It as simple as that.

The ballroom felt empty and cold. She was suddenly aware that the dark haze was much closer, as if the two of them were lit by a haunting dim spotlight.

She had to correct herself that the ballroom wasn't empty. The dancers gathered beyond the spot of light, and there was a muffled sound of murmuring.

She frowned a little.

- It's not that dream again, is it?

The lady was somewhere in the corner of her eyes, and she couldn't see her clearly. She realized she were guarding her.

- I don't think so, - the lady appeared to be vanishing, - But you might need a rapier this time.

- Not that I ever learned how to use it, - she stared at the long blade in her right hand.

A hush fell over the mob. As she squinted her eyes and stared into the murky haziness, a man clad in dark reds walked past the dancers, staight towards her, light reflecting from the golden feather mask he was wearing. He had an air of a cold arrogance, a slight disdanful smile curving his lips.

She wondered if that was a nightmare. She felt uncertain, and it was the confusion that worried her the most.

Everything was lost to the hazy darkness of the ballroom, only the man was shining with a kind of a dark radiance. He was mesmerizing, in a way.

No, she thought as she gave her head a mental shake. I can't be thinking that. He's worth respecting, that part is true, but I can't be looking at him that way. That would be weak. And I can't be weak in front of him. I know too well where does the weakness lead.

She clinged onto a rising feeling of arrogance that could have been matching his, and then she suddenly realized he's actually below her level in a certain sense. She was smarter than him. More perceiving than him. It was her secret knowledge. That was, too, something he would never know.

He scrutinized her, and she could as well return his stare. She wondered if he knew who she was. She also wondered if the lady was watching.

In his hands, there was a rapier as well.

- Are we duelling? - she dared to venture.

- What's your prize, then? - his voice alone could sent shivers down her spine.

- I don't think I am the one you should be addressing to, - she searched and indeed there the lady was, standing over on a balcony, holding something in her hands, - I was merely put up by my lady, you see.

He barely looked in the direction of the balcony.

- Would you fight in her name, then? - the tip of his rapier drew a lazy, graceful arch in the air. He bared his teeth in a taunting grin.

- I suppose so.

And as she raised his rapier, the lady held her hands up to her mouth, and a smooth marching song filled the hall.

And then she dashed forward.

- Kathy? Yo-hoo, Kah-thee!

The girl blinked, looked around, then blinked again. NiGHTS lowered his hand he'd been waving before her face and gave her another stare.

- What's with those clothes? - he asked with bright curiousity.

Kathryn looked down. She had a dress suit on, and she felt funny over her face; she held her hand up and touched something that felt like a cardboard. She pulled a mask over her head.

She looked around once more, standing in the middle of a big ballroom, light shining through the tall open windows.

- Hi, NiGHTS. You haven't seen, uh... some guy with a rapier around, have you?

- No, - he looked more serious, - Owl told me that the Mare was breaching into the Nightopia, and so I rushed here. And here you was. Thought so.

- What do you mean, "thought so"? - she gave him a puzzled look.

- It's a... oh, - he suddenly had a stale expression on his face, - I can't quite explainn it. Let's say, you lucid dreamers attract marens.

- 'Cause our kind is more tasty, right? - she said absent-mindly, staring at the balcony and trying to recall what was it that she had seen.

- Yeah... uh... Yes, I think you can put it thas way...

NiGHTS voice drifted into distance. Kathryn dragged the vision of her dream back before her sober mind's eye. There was the ballroom, and the black haze. There was the parquet. There was a... there was that blue... the blue lady. They'd been talking about... about dragons and butterflies, what was it exactly? Did she demanded that lady's dress? Then there was a lot more of the black haze, then there was the man...

- KATH-REEEEN!

The girl leaped, giving the walls and NiGHTS an involuntary shriek.

- Oh, God damn you!.. Don't scare me like that! You want me to have a heart attack?

- Erm... what about a heart attacking?

She took a breath.

- I've been thinking. Not that I think it was important, though. What was it that you wanted, again?

NiGHTS beamed at her:

- Let's dualize and fly!

Kathryn thought. Then rolled that "dualize" word on her tongue and thought some more.

- Dualize. Dual-ize. As in "divide in two", - she mused aloud.

- Ehhh... kind the other way around, actually.

- Oh. Joining two into one, I presume?

- That's right! - NiGHTS grinned cheerfully.

- Oh, I see.

She fell into a long, thougtful pauze, during which NiGHTS grew less and less cheerful, and more worried.

- No, I kindly thank you, but no.

The law of gravity seemed to remember it ever existed, and began its work with tugging at NiGHTS, as his purple-clad figure nearly fell down to the floor.

- But Kathy!..

- Thank you, and I wholly believe that it doesn't involde anything kinky, but still no, - she refused politely but firmly, raising her voice a little.

- You just don't understand! - NiGHTS threw his hands up in the air and rushed after her, as the girl was proceeding towards the doors, - Dualizing is essential! What if marens come and steal your Ideya? What if marens invade your dreamscapes?

She couldn't help an odd laughter:

- I'd want to see them try!.. - then she blinked and turned around, - Wait, what did you say?

- What-if-marens-come-after-you? - NiGHTS repeated in a persistent manner, - Not that you are the only lucid dreamer around, but if that happens...

- Nonono, wait, what was about that "idea" thing?

- The Ideya. It's a sphere of light that comes from your very soul, dear Visitor.

Kathryn turned around and saw Owl in the doorway.

- Oh, hello, Owl, it's nice to see you again. Care to tell me more?..

- Certainly. Every person of the waking is supposed to have five Ideyas, each one representing key element of his psyche. The first is the Ideya of Purity. The second is the Ideya of Bravery. The third in the Ideya of Wisdom, which also represents Growth. The fourth one is the Ideya of Hope, and the fifth one is the Ideya of Intelligence. It's quite rare for the person to have all the Ideyas equally strong, usually one of them takes the lead, so to say. For a brief period of time, however, it is possible to have all of them resonate in unison...

- Supposed to have, you said, - Kathryn looked at the bird, - Sorry to interrupt. But that means there are not always all of them represented in the psyche?

- That's right, - Owl heaved a sigh, - Incidentally, you seem to have the Ideya of Intelligence in the lead. Yes, sometimes the light of Ideya is stolen by those from the Nightmare.

Kathryn felt a little airheaded.

- I think I might not have much time before I wake up, - she murmured, - Do you know something about that blue lady? I think I saw her today around this place.

Owl looked at NiGHTS.

- The mare _had_ been trying to drag her in, - the trickster said reluctantly, - But she had snapped out of it. She was alone when I found her.

- Do you know or not?

- It would seem to me, dear, - Owl said softly, after a small pause, - That she is merely a vision from your dream. It's only in your head, as they say. You shouldn't be trying so hard to find out...

- Listen, - she brought her head closer to the bird, staring him straight into his eyes, - Since I was six, I'd been having a certain nightmare I'm sure wasn't even mine to begin with. Nothing in my real life linked to it, and it was quite unnerving, okay? When I was eleven or so, I had managed to overcome it, but ever since I've been having small things reminding me about it. And that is quite unnerving, too. I meet a strange lady dressed in blue here and there, the same lady I was with every time I had that nightmare. But even now I've no idea who is she or what does she wants from me. So when I met you, beings that, and I'm fairly sure about it, don't come from my sick mind, I thought that as much of an oddball I am, I could as well ask if you might know something. I want to find that lady, okay? I want to ask her what was that nightmare all about.

As she opened her eyes, she realized she had been thinking the speech over in her head, rather that saying it. She was wide awake and laying in her bed, some bird crirping outside the window.

Her alarm clock went off as she wondered how much of it she was able to tell.


	4. The third night

**The third night**

One had to admit that Kathryn had a lot of persistence and stubborness in her. As she was falling asleep, focusing on the moment of transition, the dream had tried to take shape of some nonsensical field, but she promptly stopped it and tried to recall the vision of the ballroom.

And she found herself standing in some kind of a corridor.

- Okaa-y, - she drawled, - Some pop-up mini-map please? No? Thought so.

They say that if you are ever stuck in a maze, you need to turn left wherever possible. She wasn't quite sure if there was a maze waiting for her, and then again, the dream could mess up with that theory...

She focused on the ballroom image. Now that she had a set goal, reaching lucid state was easier. Not that it resulted into any kind of superpowers, though.

She walked, then paced, then began to skip. Moving around was tedious and made her giddy, and soon she found herself running. The best part of it was that she wasn't panting.

It's a dream, she had to remind herself. I'm not really running. Okay, maybe my body might be thinking I do, with heartbeat quickening and such, but I won't be really panting.

The most important thing, she thought, was to not get too exited, otherwise she might accidentally wake herself up.

Kathryn realized she had been moving in a series of prolonged skips. She kicked off the floor, flew through the air meeting some kind of resistance, landed and kicked off again. She felt like she was moving in water. Very liquid and fluent kind of water. I'm covering about a meter and a half with one skip, she thought. And I'm not really pushing myself.

There was a door at the end of the corridor. She hovered before it and pulled at the doorknob. Then she gave the door a good push. Nothing.

She looked around in case there was any tables with keys or suspiciously labeled treats. No such thing.

The girl grumbled and eyed the door, then shaked the doorknob and tried to pull and push it again.

- Oh, please, - she cried in annoyance, - I need to get inside.

Strangely enough, the door opened with a faint creak.

- Oh... thank you very much, - she hurried through, in case the door might change its mind.

The ballroom looked the same - the parquet, the ceiling high above, the long narrow windows with sunbeams shining through. And the small balcony up there.

Kathryn could only wonder how had the lady got there the other night. Only one door seemed to be leading to the ballroom - the other one was leading outside. And there didn't seem to be any kind of passage up there, from what she could tell.

That was a proper dream, she had to remind herself. The lady could had teleported there as well.

But Kathryn wasn't sure she could teleport. Balloon drift was the best she could do - and that was pretty much embarrasing the other time that NiGHTS had seen her. But what other options did she had?

Right, no other options.

She heaved a sigh and walked towards the balcony. Looking up, she focused on feeling light and nimble. I'm full of helium, she told herself. Full of helium, and do not obey the gravity. I'm weightless.

Her feet lost touch with the parquet. The wall sped by at somewhat alarming speed, and she soon found herself high up, drifting a little below the ceiling, the balcony under her.

Kathryn heaved another sigh and recalled the sensation of having weight. And then she nearly crashed down.

- Ow... - she sat up with some struggle, trying to figure out where the source discomfort was, - That definitely need some work... owww...

She reached under her leg and pulled out something that dug into it. She held the object up to look at it.

It was some kind of a shard, semi-transparent and tinted blue. It seemed to emit a soft, subdued glow.

Kathryn closed her eyes. The shard felt a little bit warm in her hand. She clenched her hand into a fist, the shard between her fingers. There was something moving in the back of her memory, something important, something she might remember, if she could only catch a glimpse, a loose string to pull at...

Her head began to ring faintly. She opened her eyes and took a breath. Then, Kathryn stood up, walked to the edge of the balcony, looked down for some moments, and then jumped off.

She got it much better this time, as she promptly landed on her feet, maybe just swaying a little. She smiled a confident, proud smile.

And then she blinked in puzzlement.

That was it. There was something about it. About being confident. About being proud. About smiling that way.

Kathryn felt an odd longing. She wasn't smiling just for the sake of it. She wanted to give that smile to someone. Not just anyone, that certain someone, she wanted him to see her confident and proud...

The feeling came to a halt as quickly as it had poured out.

She looked at the shard resting in the palm of her hand, doubt hovering over her face.

Then she cletched her fingers and headed towards the door she thought would be an exit.

It gave her little surprise that there was grass at the doorstep, and that gentle breeze blew in her face when the door opened. She couldn't remember what was seen out of the windows in the ballroom, but assumed it was the same twilit field she was looking at. Blades of grass tickled her bare feet, and Kathryn came to realize she had white pajamas on, with a baggy top that got blown in the wind. She slipped the shard into the pocket, maybe absent-mindely a little, and stepped out.

I need to meet the blue lady, she thought, as she gazed at the white chrysanthemums poking their heads out of the grass, bright against the dusky air. The girl let her hand touch grass and flowers, brushing occasional firefly, as thoughts got her mind absorbed. Blue lady will be able to answer, she thought. About the shard. About the feeling. About that person. Everything.

The question remained whether or not will she be ready to understand, but she saw it more important to remember the answer. She could figure out the meaning later.

Something clicked in her mind, messing up the lazy pace. The meaning. The reason behind things. She gave herself a nod and began to recall her previous dream, slowly and patiently. She was looking for a partner to dance with. The blue lady appeared as her partner, Kathryn herself playng a male role. They began waltzing. And they were talking.

"Ever heard about the dragon?.."

No, she told herself, even earlier than that. The lady said that, since she was feminine, Kathryn had to be masculine... or something along the lines. Then, about the dress?.. Oh, that's right. The lady made it sound as if she had taken some dress from her. And that if she accepted the lady, she got her dress back. It had something to do with the whole male versus female idea.

Kathryn frowned her nonexistent brows and lower, grass rustling beneath her invisible body. Loose petals trailed behind her.

She felt like a fluttering feather, only more straight-forward. Borders ceased to exist, her line of view widening as the horizon stretched. Something tug at her heart faintly, a shadow of a nostalgic pain. There had been times when she felt this free. This light. This powerful, to an extent where power didn't matter anyone.

Unity. It was like she tuned with the whole world around her. She sped through the dusk like a sylph, flying.

And yet, it felt sad somehow.

These are not my emotions, a thought dawned on her. It's like that smile. Like that odd longing.

And that nightmare, too.

Kathryn gasped as she realized she wasn't really flying. She was given the ability to experience the sensation of flying. And that wasn't the same.

She closed her eyes, feeling hurt, and crashed in the grass.

And then she woke up to the sounds of her alarm clock ringing.

* * *

Kai: So, Kathy found something... but that means that shard? =3 She don't know - for mow... R&R! =3

And, BTW, if anyone wants and can - we'd be happy to have a beta... =3


	5. The forth night

Kai: Cliffhanger, ne? +) Sorry that the updates were rather long ago - Tai had a writer's block. ands he was not in the city at summer, and then university started, she and I both has muuuch things to deal with... =_=

well, to the story)

* * *

**The fourth night**

- Okaaay... - Kathryn gave the purple-clad figure a stern look, - What brings you here, NiGHTS?

- Oh, I just happened to fly by, and then thought I'd like to visit you, - NiGHTS grinned innocently.

- Right, - she sat up in a bed and looked around, - At least I'm sure I'm dreaming. Well then...

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. NiGHTS lowered to the floor, head poking out above the footboard, with a curious look on his face.

He waited patiently for a minute.

- What'cha doing?

- Ugh, - Kathryn opened her eyes, humped in irritation and fell on her back, - I don't get it. I know I'm dreaming, how come I can't change this place?

- Hey, don't think about it much, - NiGHTS flew up, smiling, - Sometimes you have to take things as is, you know? Just loosen up and enjoy what you get!

- Yeah, right, - she raised her arms above her head, - Okay, maybe by controlling dreams I don't let my subconcsience speak up, maybe I'm missing important stuff because of that, maybe I don't rest properly and just add up to the pile of stress...

She glanced at NiGHTS. He looked throughtly confused.

- Nah, forget it, - she sighed, stood up and walked towards the window, purple jester trailing her.

Kathryn looked out. She saw a town, barely seen in the dark of the night, with only a few streets faintly marked with dying streetlamps. There was a clocktower that seemed enourmous, it's tall form soaring above the rooftops.

- Not my town either. Oh, well, I should enjoy things I get, huh?

- My point exactly! - NiGHTS got past her and out of the window. He faced her with a smile and offered a hand, - Feel like flying tonight?

- Mhhhm, - Kathryn frowned at a couple of brightest stars in the sky, - Does that mean dualizing?

- Oh, come on. You say it like it's a bad thing. I've dualized with a lot of Visitors, and no one complained even once!

Kathryn could suspect a kind of brainwashing, but she didn't want to offend NiGHTS.

- I want to fly, yes. Dualizing, no. Something about it just rubs me the wrong way and I can't help it, - she pouted a little, - Isn't there another way around?

- Like what? - NiGHTS tilted his head.

- I dunno. Pixie dust, maybe?

- You mean like in sparkles? I saw stuff like that in some Visitor's dream. But I can't make it, and I seriously doubt my sparkles can make you fly. And even if I made a paraloop, well... I don't think you'd like it, Kathy, - he leaned to her, - Kathy?

The girl seemed to be thinking about something. It took her another couple of seconds to notice the hand he waved before her face.

- What? Oh, sorry. Got lost in my thoughts. So, erm... we can use that fellow?

NiGHTS glanced in the direction she was pointing at. "That fellow" looked like something shiny with dragonfly wings poking out of the middle of it. On the closer inspection it turned out to be a chubby goggle-eyed creature with a halo, wings and extra glitter.

- Weird fairy, - Kathryn mumbled, putting a stress on "weird".

- That's a nightopian. It's also called a pian, - NiGHTS explained, - They don't have powers to make you fly, either.

- Well, too bad.

It took him some time to notice she was smiling. Or, rather, that her smile was somewhat innerving.

- Let's go Disney style, then! - Kathryn's smile widened, - You can carry me around!

***KT***

She came to regret it in two minutes.

It surprised her that NiGHTS hadn't even argue. Well, it's not like he understood her right away. But when he had got what she had meant, he didn't argue. He just gave her a smile.

A rather suspicious one, too. But she had been too busy explaining how one carries a girl around and therefore didn't notice.

About two minutes later she was regretting her idea deeply, holding onto NiGHTS' shoulders for her dear life. And while she knew nothing would happen even if she fell down, she didn't felt like trying. She tried asking the purple jester to slow down, but he seemed rather too much preoccupied with complex air tricks he was pulling. Then he made a dash towards the clocktower, nearly crashed into it - or so Kathryn thought - and circled around it a few times.

When Kathryn felt steady ground under her feet, she let her legs bend and sat quietly, huffing under her breath and catching up with her racing heart.

- Wasn't it exiting? - NiGHTS beamed, leaping into the air, - And it's even more fun when you're dualized, too!

- Do I gain any kind of control over the situation?

- Well, yes! Of course you do!

- In that case I'm in, - she got up onto her feet again, - How do I do it?

- Hold up your hand, - he smiled and reached out his own, - Then touch my palm with yours, and we're done!

- Does dualization happens every time you take someone's hand? - she raised her eyebrow.

- No. You have to wish for it. Or be ready for it. Or... - he paused with a confused look on his face, which he discarded with a carefree laughter, - It just sort of happens. I suppose you are ready enough, right?

- Right, - she nodded as she took his hand.

A white light enveloped them both, at speed that alarmed her to some extent. She felt disoriented and extremey lightweight. Then, she felt as if covered in something sticky, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the hourplate before her, and under her feet, far below in the distance, were dusky streets.

She looked at her arm. It was the arm of NiGHTS.

And she still felt as if covered in something. Or, rather, dressed in something uncomfortable, like old clothes she grew out of, or a suit that didn't fit at all. She tried to stretch her body, but it didn't improve anything.

- It isn't how it supposed to feel like, is it? - she asked him sourly, forming the question with her thoughts rather than speaking it out loud.

- N-o, - it felt like NiGHTS' voice was ringing in her head, and he sounded concerned, - Maybe it's because you're not used to the idea?

- I thought I was ready to dualize. It's not like I had any other choice anyway. Now what?

- We can try flying. Maybe that will get you more familiar with the concept.

- Ohhh, great...

Their shared body moved a little backwards, then up. Kathryn felt trapped in a ridiculous balloon, if not worse. She could handle flying in a straight line for some time, but when NiGHTS suggested they try paraloop, she felt nauseous. And that was very much embarrasing.

She didn't quite understood what happened after that, only that one second she felt relieved, and the next one she was falling, speeding toward the streets below. Kathryn looked down and wondered if hitting the ground would feel like anything, or would it make her dream of something else.

A few seconds later, she felt like crashing into something soft and round, and probably purple. It made her flew a little up into the air, enough for a rather flustered NiGHTS to catch her.

- Ohmygosh Kathy I'm so sorry! It must've been so scary, are you alright?

- Y-yes I am. No, it wasn't, really. Um, - she blinked and pulled herself together, - What had happened anyway?

- We undualized. To put it simple, you fell down. I don't really know why. It's probably because you have the Blue Idea in the lead.

- Intelligence, right? And how does it affect you and your dualization?

- I'm not too sure myself, but I've always found it easier to dualize with kids that have Red Ideyas. Bravery, I mean.

- Uh-huh. Well... bravery suits you? - she frowned slightly, - Are there any other... guys of your kind that dualize?

- Ehhh, I don't really think so, - the girl felt an unvoluntary shiver coming from him, - Nah, I'm probably the only one. 'Cause I'm special or something.

Kathryn couldn't help wondering about a trace of mocking in his voice. There was something he wasn't pleased with too much, or so it seemed.

- So now what? I suppose you're soaring aimlessly now, right?

- Oh... I think I am. You want me to take you somewhere?

- Well, now that you asked... Can you maybe reach that couple of stars? I think I need to check something.

***KT***

- I _knew_ it!

NiGHTS gave Kathryn a questioning look. The girl looked like she was going to laugh.

- Knew what?

- I suspected something when I saw that fairy right after I mentioned the pixie dust. Then there was the clocktower. Then, those two stars. Not to mention yourself. And now this island! It's Neverland for sure! Ohhh, it fits so well, - she couldn't help but giggle.

- What are you talking about exactly? I still don't get it, - NiGHTS pouted slightly.

- Ah, sorry. It's just that the dream resembles the Piter Pan story. Only that I don't get younger brothers. You don't know the story, do you?

- I don't really think I do.

- Okay. Now fly over to that bunch of clouds. They look like a nice place to walk.

NiGHTS, still puzzled, obidiently carried the rather impatient Kathryn to the clouds. She tested the misty surface with her foot, and gave it a few experimenting kicks. Once the trickster set her down, she went around for a short skip, got on her knees to grab some of the cloudy matter and then promptly tried to shape it into something.

All of the above with a huge grin of satisfaction plastered on her face.

- Uhhh, Kathy? About that pan thing?

- Wha?.. Oh, sorry, - she watched with amusement as the mini-cloud took off from her hand, looking rather displeased, - It's not everyda... every-night, anyway, that you get to walk on the clouds. So, about Peter Pan.

She crawled closer to the edge of the clouds and looked on the island beneath them.

- Basically, there's this three siblings, one girl and her two little brothers, who get a visit from a trickster boy from a fantasy land. The trickster lost his shadow, the girl sewn it back onto soles of his shoes, and in return he took the three of them on exciting adventures. His bunch of little brother needed a mom anyway, so that was very convenient for both sides.

- That sounds a lot like Nightopia! - NiGHTS beamed.

- Sure is. It's even visited while the kids are asleep. Now pick me up, I want to meet a mermaid.

***KT***

In a few other periods of time - NiGHTS wasn't keeping much track, really - he grimly decided to never, ever visit this particular dreamscape again.

Oh yes, they've seen the mermaids alright. Kathryn was very much amused when she found out that NiGHTS could grow a fishtail when in water. She went so far as to talk him into racing with other mermaids. Okay, that was actually fun, but she was just sitting on the shore through all of it, laughting and cheering on him. Then they visited the forest, and she jumped about the trees like a squrrel. Then they went to meet the indians, where she tried to talk with some particulary old woman, but lost track of their fuzzy conversation three times over, then gave up and told him they were going to the beach.

And he could never temp her into dualizing. Not with amazing corals and underwater caves. Not with the great cloudscapes. Not with the breathtaking canyon flights. Nothing. With the memory of their previous dualization still clear in her head, she simply refused it.

- It's Neverland alright, - Kathryn said with approval in her voice, - It's got everything the book has. Only I expected it would change over years, with so many kids coming through.

- Why? - NiGHTS was floating slightly behind her as she walked ankle-deep in water, - It's your dream. It's what you want it to be.

- Some people in the Waking say dreams are what we get. They convey messages from our subconscience.

- Well, that is also true. Dream reflect your heart, after all.

- Hmmm, - she mused, and stared into the open sea, - I kind of regret I couldn't understand that indian grandma. I bet she had something important to say. Mermaids, too, shoult have a couple of things to say...

- Hey, don't think too much about it, - NiGHTS flew in front to face her, and smiled, - That's your problem, you think too much.

- You can't blame me, - she shrugged her shoulders, - Thinking is what I've been doing for the most part of my life.

- It's no good thinking too much, - NiGHTS insisted, - Sometimes you should just experience things rather than analyze them.

She let her brow go up in amusement:

- Since when you're so philosophical?

NiGHTS grinned:

- Just because I seem carefree doesn't mean I can't be wise, Kathy.

- Okay, - she sighed, - But the problem is, nothing is really happening. So I can't experience anything...

At this very phrase, a net fell down upon her.


	6. The fifth night

Kai: Well, one more chapter) twist of plot, ne?

Enjoy) and we'll love your comments) it's the sign that our work is not a waste! =3

* * *

**The fifth night**

When Kathryn got a hold on herself, she felt rather surprised.

Quite surprised, actually.

She was in the lower hold. She didn't knew why, but she was certain she was on the ship, and she was in a lower hold.

The last night pirates had caught her, she remembered. But she awoke while they were dragging her up to the deck.

Okay, she thought, the only thing I'm certain of is that I'm on a ship. It doesn't have to be the same ship, afterall. If it was the same ship, she continued, I, for one thing, would have been in a cell, or tied up at the very least.

She wasn't tied or otherwise suspended from what she could tell. And when she looked down at herself, she could make out her bare feet, a severely frayed pants and a baggy striped shirt. She didn't want to reach to her face and check whether there was also something there.

I seriously doubt Captain would have made me a new recruit, she thought carefully.

Well... okay, they might have been shorthanded, but recruiting while she was asl... ahem, awake?

A door in the wooden ceiling burst open.

- Howa long yer goin' to lay th're? - an angry voice yelled. Kathryn jumped, - Get up onna deck, you scallywag!

The door slammed shut.

- Okay, - she said quietly, just to hear her own voice, - I seems I was wrong. Ouch.

She was surprised very much.

Strangely enough, she calmed down once she got to the deck. The crew consisted of creatures not so much human-shaped as bipedal, and not exactly with animal features as with non-human-vaguely-animal features, brightly colored.

It's a dream, Kathryn thought contently, smiling. I'm a member of the crew full of weird creatures. I'm sure I'm a member of the pirate crew, and I'm sure we're still somewhere near Neverland.

What the heck. A girl could as well have some fun.

***KT***

- Scrub well, seamate Scally! I want this deck all nice and shiny!

Kathryn looked up from her work, staring at the superior pirate morosely. She turned around, mop in hand, and ran to the other side of the deck, to scrub well there.

She gritted her teeth, scrubbing the deck violently.

Well... not so much scrubbing as stabbing it with a mob. She thought she could hear hammocks rattling in the lower hold.

Which, of course, couldn't be. Hammock don't rattle.

Bottles of rum, then. She whistled a senseless, slightly malicious tune, imagining how all of them go crash...

Kathryn winced. There's gonna be the smell. And that just won't do. She needs other means of revenge.

Because, even though she was accepted as a member of the pirate crew, she wasn't allowed to have any fun. All she was allowed was scrubbibg the deck with a mop. And that just wasn't her idea of fun.

All over the ship pirates were having fun. Not that their fun were her idea of fun, either - they either got drunk in groups of three, or, equally drunk, were playing cards in groups of four. She tried counting just how many pirates there were, but gave up soon.

It's a dream, she thought with a mental sigh. Could be a hundred. Could be seven.

Could be none, what does it matter? What was important is that she was dreaming, and nothing interesting was happening - and occasional hits landed on wandering drunkards didn't count. And not interested in something Kathryn was an irritated Kathryn, and irritated Kathryn usually sought for means to become interested.

"Interested" being close to "amused" in meaning, of course.

I need to become some scullion soon, she thought. Then get to the indian village and get some herbs... surely they have something useful. Hallucinations could be too dangerous, but a severe case of...

Well, anything.

Or, she could just stir up some revolt and become the captain. And make the whole crew wear ruffles, just for the heck of it. Oh, the hilarity.

She paused ever so slightly as her eye caught some faint movement. With a nonchalant whistle, she waltzed towards empty barrels, and begun to scrub around them. Whistling louder, she raised her mob and stabbed the deck, nearly bruising the nose of someone who was about to crawl around the barrels, apparently to distance himself from the girl.

Kathryn smile sweetly:

- Hello there, peanut. Who are you?

It was a kid, dressed in some black rags that covered almost everything about him, leaving only his eyes, bridge and brows visible.

Said brows furrowed:

- Uh... a big crow? - he guessed, looking up at her innocently.

- Good one, - she praised, - Now, who am I?

- Never saw ya.

Kathryn practically beamed:

- Well, I'm seawoman Scally. And my job is to keep the deck clean.

***KT***

The new kid was only arguably useful, but Kathryn managed to persuade the boatswain to make him scrub the deck instead of her. Boatswain didn't argue much, though, and Kathryn left with an impression that was how they got someone scrubbing the deck in the first place - the position was filled with the most recent pirate. Makes sense.

So now she was promouted to watchman on lookout.

Kathryn blinked.

- And this works how?

- Oh, yer just hafta stand there on that...

- No, I mean, why do I have to be on lookout?

The boatswain blinked. Then, his face reddened, brows knit together tightly.

- 'Cause we hafta have someone on tha lookout. An' if yer scallywag ain't gonna do it, yer can jolly go scrubbin' the deck.

Kathryn considered standing on the pillar watching the sea over scrubbing the deck. Then she looked at boatswain's face. It was an open face, the kind that told you exactly what its owner thought about you and what he'd do to you if you don't jolly obey his orders.

- Yeah, right.

- What wassat, scally?

She sighed.

- Sir, yes sir. I'll go on the watch, sir.

And so, as much as she disliked the boatswain and his orders in particular, and the situation in general, she had to obey it. Okay, so orders were more specific and less vague than aimlessly wandering through the Neverland, but something so tedious? In a dream? That was simply ridiculous.

But even that she could deal with. Kathryn picked at her emotions, figuring out what was it that annoyed her so. Apparently, she had no problems obeying orders - those were the rules after all, she wasn't supposed to break them, she'd only get herself in trouble...

That was the right course of thoughts, and she let it slowly advance further. She'd bring trouble upon herself if she disobeys, disobeying means punishment, and punishments... are executed by someone. She closed her eyes and submerged deeper in her thoughts. Someone executes the punishments. Someone with power, knowledge... either of them, anyway. On the ship, that most likely was the Captain, whom she didn't see yet.

Maybe that was it, she concluded, opening her eyes and setting more comfortably in the crow's nest. She was just a seaman, a part of the crew. That was hardly acceptable, she thought gloomily. I can't be just any part of the crew. I have to have a better position.

Kathryn squinted her eyes. The sea was just like the sea should be - vast and blue, and slightly hazy. No apparent danger...

Whoops.

- Boatswain!

- What yer yellin' yer scallywag?

- There's some other ship out there! We are not meeting anyone, are we?

The tiny figure of boatswain was still for a moment.

- What's ther flag?

- Eh... black with bones and a skull, sir.

Boatswain seemed to curse - from what she could figure out. He dashed to the captain's room in a particular hurry that suggested it was something gravely important and not entirely welcomed...

Kathryn sighed, dropped her string of thoughts and got out of the nest. By the time she got to the deck, every sailor was sitting about like a madman, doing... something. Probably things seamans should when they are drunk and have to face an enemy ship. Kathryn squinted her eyes until she could feel her head hurt, but even so she couldn't make out what was it exactly they've been doing.

The unvoluntary recruit boy was hiding behind the same barrels, mod clutched tightly in one hand, eyes big and gleaming.

- What's the matter, Sally?

Kathryn blinked at the name, but decided not to bother.

- Someone else's ship. Another pirates. What do you think?

- I think they're gonna fight, - the boy said, half afraid, half anticipating the fun.

- Okay, peanut, that mop? Give it back to me, good boy.

Kathryn took the mop and headed to the cookroom, seeing how the cook ha already ran out with a sword on one hand and a soup ladle in the other. In the cookroom, she selected a nice big knife, took a piece of a string and attached it firmly to the handle of the mop. Now, there's a nice lance...

She stepped out, enemy pirates roaming around the deck already, and stabbed the nearest foe, which promply dissapeared in a puff of stingy smoke

The girl blinked. Then, she smiled wide, and let out a yell, half-exitement, half-rage, and a major warning on the whole, and joined the battle.

It all became rather hazy and fuzzy then. She felt lightweight and sharp. She felt like she was slicing the air. Enemies were brightly outlined blobs against the murky background, and she saw them all. They were perfect targets. Perfect... snacks.

She pierced two pirate at once.

Hardly anyone could stop her. If you counted how many people could stop her, you'd be left with spare fingers.

She felt satisfaction. Almost a predatory kind.

It struck her with it's oddness, the feeling.

Kathryn looked around the deck, feeling somewhat lost. It seemed murky and foggy, in muted and blurred grey colors; some bodies were laying around. Most of those seemed to be enemies'.

She dropped the mop, not really taking any notice of it, and wandered about for some place she could use to sit down and think. It was weird, really. That what had happened just then... sort of felt lucid, but wasn't. And she also felt vaguely disturbed by being so excited with, what fundamentally have been, killing other people.

Kathryn sat down in some hidden corner and closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath. Let's think. Let's think logical. I'm a member of the crew, right? I'm supposed to serve under my captain, right? Obey orders and whatnot? Okay, now, when there's an enemy that endangers the crew, the ship and, fundamentally, the captain, I'm supposed to destroy such threat, right?

Right. Simple logic, nothing criminal - she tried to avoid thinking that pirates were criminals, that was the whole point. She was a dutiful seaman, protecting her captain and the ship. She had done the right thing. Thinking metaphorically, the whole ship might have beed a representation of her psyche, and her defending the ship was all more right...

- You don't really think that, do you?

Kathryn supressed the urge to jump up on her seat and looked around.

The owner of the voice was hard to miss. It was a petite young girl, only a few inches high, with long fair hair, blue dress - apparently made of bluebells - and colorful dragonfly wings on her back. And she was emitting a soft, calm glow.

- You are a fairy, - Kathryn stated flatly.

The girl nodded. Being so small, it was hard to make her features out, but she was pretty and no doubt.

- Why do you think that I... don't think that?

- Because you don't. I know myself.

- So what? Did I do anything wrong?

- Wrong? Right? I still don't quite know what does it mean. It a very relative thing, you know?

- Don't avoid the queston.

- No, the question is, whether I want to forget myself and do what I'm told, or choose my own path.

Kathryn was confused:

- Um... the latter choice?

- Being lost and alone? Sometimes I wonder if I should have stayed close to my origins.

- Are you lonely?

- Are you?

- We're not talking about me!

- Yes we do. Everything is up to you. Now, what do _you_ want? You can go away any time. They dragged you there against your will. You have every right to go away.

- Did you have them?

- I wasn't the same.

- What do you want from me?

- To choose well, that's all.

- Alright, one more question. Do you want to come back?

The fairy stared up somewhere, dreamingly, then heaved a sigh.

- There's nowhere for me to come back to. Nowhere I'd want to come back to.

- There's... someone, then?

- No one who'd know. He wouldn't know.

- Oh... the "he", then.

- I don't think that was stupid, - fairy said with defiance, - It was creative. It was only a logical step. Incidentally, however, that was also disobeying.

- Creativity is a crime, then?

- Not anymore. Certainly not for you. That is why I need you.

- I don't get it. You sound like you want to go away, but don't. Or that you want to stay, although there's nothing left for you. Why?

Fairy's expression slowly turned angry, and Kathryn vagyely recalled that fairies are so small they can contain only one emotion at a time.

Then, there was an angry gasp. But not fairy's.

Then, there were feet pounding away hurriedly.

Then, the loud voice:

- It's a traitor! She's been talking to a fairy!

When Kathryn turned back to the fairy, she wasn't there anymore.

And after that, she was caught and immobilized and dragged across the deck towards the captain and here's the traitor, should we go get the plank ready?

Kathryn looked at the captain and felt strangely nauseous. But most of all, she felt ashamed.

Is this I thought I've been trying to protect? Really? This creature that is not even human-shaped? This creature that doesn't even seem any better than any member of his crew? This _thing_ I wouldn't even allow to bring me houseshoes?

God, what an idiot I am. Is this what I've been looking up to? This thing that is so obviously, painfully inferior to myself?

No, of course that wasn't it. She looked around frantically. There's got to be someone else, someone around here...

The creature, which actually resembled an octopus with a brick for a head, seemed to increase in size. Its presence was suffocating, but not because he was stronger in any way. Its just sort of robbed you of breathable air. That's what it was. A robber. An impostor.

- We have decided, - it said, - That you will walk the plank.

She raised her chin and stared. Her surroundings looked stormy, the air was dark, and the floor under her feet was rocking. She felt rather angry, really. And dizzy.

She spun around, shaking limbs that was holding her away, and dragged her feet towards the plank. It was a long way.

And the whole crew was sniggering.

It probably was the worst thing. She was being humilated. She didn't do anything wrong - she had dutifully obeyed everything - so why do they point at her and mark her as an outcast? Why do they want her gone?

All I did was talking to a fairy. Stupid fairy. She didn't even gave me any pixie dust.

While she was forcing her feet to walk in the direction of the plank, scambling through their accusing stares, she was searching, only with a corner of her vision, for a person. He had to be there, she thought. He had to be there somewhere, watching. I only need to see his face...

And then came a tiny and cold nagging feeling that she had experienced something like this before, albeit in different form.

No, she wasn't weak. She wasn't a criminal. She got out of control - got in touch with something they couldn't control - and they got scared. And so, before she knew it, they wished her gone.

She felt like something was trying to choke her.

Kathryn was on the plank already, dark waters underneath tugging at her long nightgown. Oblivion was only a step away, and really, it was the only way.

She felt like some cold, indifferent claws were slowly closing around her. They'd let her fall to her death, but first, they'd strip her of whatever they deemed useful.

Not that she'd let them.

Kathryn gasped for breath involuntary and jumped off the plank.

As she was falling down with all the insides freezing with fear, she thought - is this how its really going to an end? Am I going to simply give up? Just because they didn't need me? Really?

Maybe she was still falling, or maybe she was already in the waters, but there was a tiny blue starlet in front of her, and she grabbed it.

Wait, she realised, I'm only dreaming. It's not real.

And then up and down switched places, and she was forcing herself to go up, floating to the surface.

And then she gasped and woke up.


	7. The sixth night

**Kai: **Good day to you, all our readers! =3 sorry for long break - well, artbolck, university and all that crap - and, well, Tai's boyfriend came to our city... =D ...so I think you can understand us. X) s lil bit busy))) soo... for now we have some chapters - and I'll give you them) but than there will be another break - well, I'm on my last year in university, diploma and other "pleasant" things( may be there will be something. maybe not. I guess somewhere in summer we'll return to this. =) well, for now - enjoy.

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**The sixth night**

Kathryn came to like the forest a lot.

It was quiet, but not to the point of dead silence; it was murmuring softly, sleepingly, brushing her hearing in light strokes. It was full of green and blue, with patches of sunlight here and there. It made her feel... at ease. Calm and peaceful. Serene.

She felt like she was fluttering among the trees like an oversized lightweight buttefly.

The girl jumped onto the nearest branch and walked further.

Although it was probably offending to call it a branch. It was like a floor of a corridor without walls, broad and steady, moss green with stray flowers.

She was a tiny ant compared to the enormous trees, but she didn't feel intimidated. She felt natural.

It was probably better that she could walk, she thought, selecting a liana to go down. NiGHTS, for example, wouldn't understand how great the forest is.

Because the forest was great - not only grand and ancient, it was also layered, trees and colossal branches and lianas forming floors and stairs and corridors and bridges. Like a maze you could walk not only forward, backwards and sideways, but also up and down. You could live there, and you was supposed lo live there with a ridiculous bunch of relatives and neighbours who knew you well enough to greet with a smile. It was like a huge apartment building. Or, rather, a home. It felt alive and welcoming.

It felt somewhat nostalgic, really. When she was younger, she would visit her grandparents at the countryside. She'd roam about her local park with other kids, climbing trees and making tents in bushes. No, she wasn't actually a die-hard green, but... She had always sort of wanted to spend more time at places like this. It made her philosophical in a way of thinking. Or whimsical. Or superficial... or any other -al to name. She wondered about nature, humans and relation between them, she thought of leaves and flowers, branches and roots and rich soil deep down.

Kathryn loved forests.

It also made her think that she left someplace important, and wandered away, alone, for a long time, but still can come back.

And that was very... helping in terms of coping.

Kathryn didn't quite knew what was it she was coping with... but she thought she finally begun to understand it.

- Right, five or six years and away we go, - she sighed under her breath, - Oh, well...

She fumbled in her nightgown pocket. There were two or three shards of blue-tinted glass. Shades weren't exact, and pieces seemed random, but she liked them. It was a childish sort of a whim, to collect random pieces, but what the heck - those pieces carried over several nights. And were still there. It's nice to have trinkets of this sort.

I'll use them for mnemonics, she thought. I really could use it.

So then... what kind of mnemonics, exactly?

She was wondering, walking along a mossy tree bridge with dandelions on it. She was thinking, descending to the ground level, and absent-mindedly humming while walking out to the open.

Then, she froze, somewhat amused, but soon walked up closed and knocked on the glass politely:

- Hello, NiGHTS, nice to meet you. Haven't seen you around for a week or so.

- Kathy! - NiGHTS plastered his grinning face on the other side of the glass wall, and beamed, - Ohmygoshsohappytoseeyou!

- Don't squeal, - she was somewhat taken aback, - It's disturbing, really.

- Not my fault, - he lowered down to look at her eye to eye, his own gleaming with acute fondness, - I've been here for such a long time! A long time! And not even one Visitor came!

- Okaaay... - Kathryn stepped back to examine the, or at least what looked like, a big spherical cage with a big spherical fishbowl inside. NiGHTS was in the fishbowl, and there was no visible means of exit, - What is this thing you're in?

- How does it look like to you? It's a cage! An I'm a prisoner! You have to get me out!

Kathryn didn't felt immediately sorry for him.

- How did you got it?

- I didn't. I'd never want to get in there by my own free will!

- You know what I mean.

- Does it matter? Come on, Kathryn, where's your compassion?

- I left it in the other set of pajamas? I'm joking, I'm joking, - she added quickly, noting his change of face, - Just a joke. But really, who did put you in there?

- It doesn't matter! - NiGHTS cried, - I want to get out!

- Don't be such a big baby...

She walked around the cage. Then looked around, walked over to a particularly rocky patch of scenery, and kicked some stone. It seemed decent, so she picked it up and returned to he cage.

- You are not going to throw it in my direction, - NiGHTS said with intense in his voice, - Are you?

- Don't see what's so wrong with it, - she said, shrugging, - It's a glass, right? An I'm not going to throw it. More like bang the glass with it until the glass breaks.

- Not gonna work.

She considered his sulking tone, but nevertheless raised stone-occupied hands an carefully knocked on the glass, then knocked a couple of times harder. The glass faintly ringed, but that was it.

- See? - NiGHTS plastered his face against the glass again, - If that could work, I'd just drilldash it away.

- You can't blame a Visitor for trying, - Kathy sighed and let the rock fall down, - Now what?

NiGHTS took a couple of breaths, eyes closed. When he opened them again, he looked serious.

- Alright. Most Visitors don't like the theory, but I think you'll want it. See, our world isn't all that fun. It's got what you call nightmares, right? So there are creatures from nightmares, who sometimes get into the Nightopia and wreck havoc. Usually, I scare them away, and sometimes, Visitors help me. The thing is, when I get too weak, well...

He banged on the glass. It rattled. It sounded like a snigger.

- And I can hardly do anything about it, - he sighed.

- Okay. This is where I come in, right?

- Right. This cage... affects me in a way so I can't escape. But when a Visitor comes in, the cage doesn't work anymore, and I can break free!

- Sort of overloading it with energy, huh?

Then, she stared at him.

- Okay, first, I ought to say I feel sorry for you and will help, don't get me wrong, but! I'll ask a question, you'll answer, either nod or shake your head, an listen to what I say. Now. Does it means I'm supposed to dualize?..

NiGHTS stared back at her, then, with a morose air about him, gave Kathryn a nod.

- Thought so. Okay, let's see what do the facts tell us. What they tell is that you are currently weak, no mistake here? Okay, next, is that we're not good at dualizing at all. And that is quite enough for me to conclude that, even if we somehow do dualize, we'd both regret it very much.

She heaved a sigh. NiGHTS' face seemed awfully dark and gloom.

- Is that a pout? Because if it is, don't. I said I'll get you out. There must be some other way to get you out of here, isn't there?

NiGHTS opened his mouth to say something snide, then closed it and appeared thoughtful.

- Well, - he began carefully, looking at Kathryn, - I suppose you can do something...

- If Owl really monitors Nightopia, - the girl ventured, - I could ask him to find you a suitable Visitor...

- No. I'd look for one once I get out, but as for now, I'd use your help. I think you can do it. See, sometimes merely getting me out of the cage isn't everything. I... don't quite know how it works, but...

He tugged at his hat.

- Ugh, I'm noooot good at this... Where's Owl when Nightopia needs him?.. Anyway, - he straightened up, - You'd have to find the key.

Kathryn let his words sink into her mind.

- Sounds simple enough. And no, I don't expect it to be hanging on a nearest tree knot. Does is look like anything special? You do mean a key you use to open doors with, not some sort of a metaphor, are you?

- Yes, a key you open doors with. It will most likely be big.

- All easier to spot then.

- You don't say. See that bird?

She blinked, and turned the way NiGHTS was pointing. On a low branch there was a dusty-colored grey bird which looked like a generic ostrich on chicken legs and a peacock tail placed on its rear end.

- I guess it's the bird... - NiGHTS said, obviously concerned, - Oh, yes, the key is in its beak. It looks like a key from here, at least...

- I should inform you that I don't like the doubt in your voice, - Kathryn said evenly, - So I just go over and take it away?

- Pretty much. I guess you can do it on your own. And... you saw pians, right? - NiGHTS watched the girl give him a nod and a questioning look, - Right, so when you'll see... any creature other than pians, run.

She raised a brow, the question in her eyes all more prominent.

- Marens, - NiGHTS explained with a sigh, - As in "from nightmare". Nasty things, they attack you Visitors, so just better avoid them.

- Marens from the nightmare, - she rolled the word in her mouth, - From what I've gathered, I suppose those are the ones that steal Ideyas?

- Yes. They are the ones. And Kathy?

He pressed his face against the glass, and Kathryn was somewhat surprised to notice that his teeth were quite sharp.

- Go and fetch that key already, will you?

It took her about as long as he expected. Granted, NiGHTS was also concerned that she might wake up or get dragged into a nightmare...

But she really managed to recover the key. She looked very proud actually, covered in mud, her hair a fine mess, but with a huge grin and a key held up above her head.

- Sorry it took a while. I got carried away.

- By what? - NiGHTS was genuinely interested.

- Well, those maren things? Turns out, it's quite addictive to beat them up. I tried to avoid them and run away, but after a while I thought, what the heck, self? Is that any way to treat those nightmarish morons? I grabbed the first thing that was nearby and smashed the creature with it. Two hits and an instant K.O.

- Argh, stop going around in circles! It makes my head spin! - NiGHTS cried.

Kathryn's steps came to a halt.

- I was trying to find a keyhole, - she said in her defense. Although a part of her wanted to see whether NiGHTS' head could rotate on its own.

- Just... insert the key into the glass. That should do.

- Oh, that's neat. Heart of the world much? Okay, okay, no need to go pointy-teeth again.

She thrusted the blade of the huge key into the cage. There was an immediate flash of white, and Kathryn closed her eyes shut...

When she opened them, the glass was there all the same. It wouldn't have surprised her if not for NiGHTS that was still trapped behind it.

That NiGHTS was just on the other side, his face unusually serious, deep in thoughts.

- Um, - Kathryn reached her hand out and knocked on the glass, - Was that a wrong key?

- No, - NiGHTS said, and she was again surprised by how concerned and quiet his voice was, - Oh, boy...

- There's something wrong, isn't it, - Kathryn asked. He didn't reply, and looked at her as if trying to figure out something, - NiGHTS? Answer me!

- There should be more birds, - the jester said at last.

- I didn't spot any, and I've ran around the place enough. Tell me, what's wrong with the key? I brought the one you asked for, didn't I? What's wrong then?

NiGHTS suddenly flashed a big, goofy grin on her.

- Oh, no, the key's the right one. It's just that there's more.

If she was in a comedy show, she would have indeed fell down, one leg sticking up an twitching.

But she was inside a dream, so she just clenched her fist and yelled:

- Hey, you know how hard it was to chase the bird down, let alone wrestle the key outta its beak? And now you're telling me I must go and fetch another? You was stupid enough to get yourself trapped into the cage, and now I have to risk my neck and save you?

- Now, now, no need to get so angry, - NiGHTS said with an apologetic smile, - Just so you know, I didn't choose to be trapped, and I most certainly don't like to have you run among those awful marens... It's just the way it works, see? Since I have appeared the way I am now inside your dream, my problem became your problem as well. You just have to help me. If we could dualize, that would have been much easier...

- You said you can break free once you dualize, right? I can just go to the Dream Plaza and ask Owl to look for some suitable one. He'd set you free, no problem!

She turned around and began walking away.

- You won't be able to escape for long.

NiGHTS' voice caught her mid-step. Kathryn froze. Her mind went blank for a second.

His voice sounded alien to his cheerful image, too grim and knowing, way more unfitting even than his serious expression from a short while ago.

- You can try and wake up tonight, - the jester continued, his voice void of any jest or mocking, - Maybe you'll even have peaceful dreams later, but for how long? One night? One week? You don't think it will last for long, do you? No matter how many times you would avoid this cage and myself, trapped inside, no matter how many times you would say it's not your problem, one day you will have to get all the keys back.

Kathryn didn't turn around, but she didn't walked away, either.

- Quiet, - she said instead, voice stern and bitter.

- Oh, it's not really like you have to, - NiGHTS said, as if taking a second thought, - But you know, one night you will seize to notice I'm here. Visitors do when they grow up. And then, when you're all grown up, you might realize you lack something important, but won't remember what was it or when and where you have left it. And you won't be able to piece yourself together, not perfectly. Go on, wake up, your choice. I'll just wait for a more cooperative kid to come by.

- I said quiet!

That was almost a yell, muted and suppressed, but a yell nonetheless.

The girl turned around slowly, head hanging low, and dragged her feet back to the cage. She raised her head slowly and glared at the jester, her eyes narrow and almost fierce.

- That's a challenge, then, is it? - the girl said sharply, - And such pressure on top of that! Very well, I shall take it on. I will not go after another bird by myself, rather, I'd have your help. We know you can get out of the cage if you dualize with the Visitor? I shall try it out. I hope you can last for just enough time.

- Time... for what?

She grinned.

- It's simple, really. You chase the bird down and preferably corner it. I ambush it and get the key. Rinse and repeat until you're completely free. Is that clear?

NiGHTS stared at her for a good couple of seconds.

Then, he grinned, too.

- Mademoiselle, allow me to invite yourself into my humble cage, - he said, bowing in quite a comical way, - Now lets' dualize and get over with it, the closed space is driving me insane - surely you wouldn't like insane me around the place, now would you?

* * *

** Kai:**

**nixiegirl21** - weeee~! glad you like it! =) and about spell check... T_T we know. but... you see, English is not our native language( so... well, Tai is better than me in English - but even she can't catch all the mistakes(

**Sakura moonstar** - thanks! =) wait - and you'll see our genius plan! XDDDD

**Deviantes **- =3333 *blushes* glad that you like it)

**Kai:**...and to all of you, our dear readers - we are deeply sorry if there is mistakes( we really, really trying to correct all of them, but sometimes we can miss one or two or more... *went in deep depression*


	8. The seventh night

**Kai:** Sooo, next one is heere... +)

* * *

**The seventh night**

When Kathryn came to realize what was happening around her, she found herself sitting on some kind of a chair.

She tried to rewind her memory a little. It was made up of nonsense about ponies, rainbows and butterflies. She couldn't help but feel they were connected, in a somewhat disturbing fashion.

The girl sinked deeper into her chair and looked around.

It appeared to be a great hall, with marble walls and tall windows. She felt a weird cringing, poked at her memory and recalled the dream about dancing with the lady in blue.

The hall looked different. It was much lighter, with a couple of silvery candelabras hanging from the ceiling. And there was greenish-blue drapery around the windows.

And there was a lot of couples dancing. There were people near walls, and windows, out on the little balconies, sitting around tiny tables.

It took Kathryn some time to realize that everything she saw was tiny, carefully arranged in a hall so big your neck ached when you tried to look up.

The thought puzzled her somewhat. Why would her head hurt if she just threw it back to look up?

She stood up and looked around. Then she slowly and carefully descended a few steps that separated her chair and the dance floor.

People looked normal. In terms of size anyway - she couldn't make their features out. It was like they were drawn with strokes of watercolor, some places bleary, some places not, but uncertain, vague and slightly translucent. They looked at her, slightly bowed, and returned to whatever they've been doing.

She even tried to start some conversations. But it died after a couple of lines.

That's right, she thought vaguely, as she walked through a multitude of people. I'm not supposed to be doing this. I'm supposed to... supposed to...

What was it again?

Kathryn frowned and entered a garden. Not so much entered as found herself in one, actually, but it didn't bothered her.

There was a maze made of hedges. Hedges had violets growing on them, although she was vaguely aware that violets don't grow on bushes.

Oh well... it could be a low wall, she mused, stroking petals as she went deeper into the maze. With pots on it, or maybe there's soil inside, with several holes... from which violets grow. That sounds plausible.

She came to a clearing.

Then she blinked.

There was a tepee there, with a thin line of smoke coming out of it. Near the entrance, there was a shamanic drum laying on the grass, with two fox-like tails and what looked like paws. There was a string of fangs attached to it. She shuddered and walked into the tepee gingerly.

There was an old woman sitting there beside the fire, but what Kathryn noticed first was blue cactuses with tiny, green and clawed hands for spikes. The cactuses were growing on the wall.

The old woman, when Kathryn finally looked away from weird plants, was picking at little bones scattered in front of her. Her lips were constantly moving, as if she was talking with her mouth shut, and her eyes were only half-open.

Kathryn stood there, unsure if she should enter, and watched the woman. It was somewhat disturbing. It was somewhat scary. And at the same time, it felt like observing something ancient and great. Like forest... wait, why forest?.. Right, because of rich soil and roots you can grow in it...

The old woman assembled the bones, then sat for a while, rocking back and forth. Then, she opened her mouth and sang.

It wasn't a song with any actual lyrics, none that Kathryn could understand. It was more like a chant or spell, something with a... with a soul in it. And, in it's turn, it rocked your soul. The girl felt herself trembling.

The old woman sang, and bones began to take shape slowly. More and more, until what was laying there became some silvery animal.

A cat, Kathryn realized.

The chant ended, dying away naturally. The cat got up, shuddered and turned to face Kathryn. It took one glance at her, then scurried away past her.

She glanced at the woman, then turned around and ran after the cat.

The animal ran into the dancehall, an Kathryn followed shortly after. When she entered the hall, just as soon as she stepped on the marble flood, it all came to her like a waterfall. She realized she was supposed to search for someone. A certain lady. She had to find someone to dance with. Then, there was a time limit of midnight, rush and a feeling of urgency, some slipper...

She caught a glimpse of someone on the other end of the hall. If everyone else were drawn with watercolors, she was drawn with oils, in rich midnight blue and golds. That was her, the lady she was supposed to meet.

Kathryn began to ran, dodging people and making quick apologizes, but she already knew, with a cold feeling twisting her insides, that she won't make it.

The lady was still a few meters away, when the midnight struck.

And it was the end.

* * *

**Kai: **Well, I know - it's smal, yep. buuuuuut... the next one - and the last one for now - will be rather biiiig))) BTW - who can tell, that resemble this dream? =3 Thiiis dream is not so simple, oh no) there will be the answers... later. (not in the next chapter, no) hahaha) oh well)


	9. The eighth night

**Kai:** And... here it is. biiiiig chapter... and the last night for now. enjoy)

* * *

**The eighth night**

The dream began with a rabbit.

No, it actually began with a riverbank and daisies, but that was only a set-up, a mere background.

The real dream began with a rabbit.

It was about as big as a five-year-old kid, bipedal and vaguely anthropomorphic - or maybe it was a little kid with a pair of rabbit ears and a fluffy tail... The rabbit, dressed only in a vest and shorts, was holding big watches close to its chest.

She became vaguely interested.

She ran after the rabbit. One would think that she'd be faster that the kid, who was more skipping away in a hurry rather than running, halting to make a worried glance at the time. But no, no matter how fast she ran, the rabbit was still out of her reach.

Trees grew bigger and roots got larger. As she ran deeper into the forest, it became dark, that murky, looming kind of dark that condenses behind your back to lurk and send shivers down your spine.

She lost sight of the rabbit.

The forest was quiet, in the same way an audience is quiet in the dark of the theater, waiting for the curtain to rise.

She looked around. The place was completely unfamiliar - she had neither memories nor knowledge about it, and no clear path was seen.

Or was it?

Slowly, she made her way through ferns, towards a big tree that looked especially arrogant and proud of its long life and gained experience. She put a hand on the bark and traced one of many scars that an axe left behind. But whatever woodsman was trying to conquer the tree, has failed, and was long gone.

There was a door.

In between roots there was a round door, leaning on the tree. Her hand wandered down and fingered the surface of the door - she wasn't sure it wasn't some curious deformity of the wood.

Her hand met the hand of the door, a slightly tarnished round handle perfectly in the center.

She grasped it and pulled. Nothing happened.

She grasped the handle with both hands and pulled, pushing a foot against the nearest root to help herself.

The door didn't bulge even a little.

She kicked it angrily and let out a huff, turned on her heels and slumped on the ground, disappointment already creeping into her mind. Then, she leaned on the door, ready to think over what to do next.

With a yelp, she fell inside when the door burst open. In a blink, she disappeared in a dark corridor.

The door heaved a crack and closed shut. The handle went click.

It felt like water, but at the same time didn't. It was known to her that humans couldn't breath under water - and when she looked to check, there was to fishtail beneath her waist.

Was it water, or just slightly condensed, fluid air? She could care less, really.

She was slowly submerging, going deeper and deeper down the long well and spinning around to capture her surroundings. It couldn't be water, yet there was a cage with small colorful fish inside. Corals grew in small alcoves. Shells hung in the air, ringing like xylophone bars. But there was more - golden and green fireflies in bottles with foil stars on them, paper princesses curtseying to tin soldiers, gauze butterflies, glistering bug-shaped brooches, flocks of books, floating candles with wax pictures on them, magic wands and wooden flutes, bird feathers, pressed flowers and plants, beads of dried berries, and all other curious nonsense. She was gradually going deeper and deeper, past the shelves full of trinkets and jars and boxes.

It felt nostalgic, almost to a choke. Like all the days of one summer holiday, multiplied and condensed, captured and turned into a memorable piece of a puzzle you might never finish, because there were too much pieces that fit into a same place.

Her feet touched the ground. She looked up that instant, but could only see roots, going up and vanishing into the dark above.

Dark. That's right. It was always dark.

The realization made her want to get out into the light.

She felt her way around. Soil was under her fingers, full a thin cool web of roots that seemed like nerves. For a second she felt a cold tugging at her insides, and a small voice asked her what to do if there would be no exit.

Her hand felt empty space.

She slowly made her way inside the small corridor. It was narrow, so she had to go on all fours, forcing her way through it.

Just a little more, she thought. A little more and I'll be free.

The way became almost too narrow, and she struggled with admirable persistence, fighting her way out. She could already feel the fresh air from the outside, and that made her all more eager. Kicking away and grabbing at the soil beneath her arms, she pushed herself forward.

She thrusted both of her hands forward to grab at the ground farther away and pull herself forward - only that there was no ground.

Her arms flailed in the air helplessly. It felt heavy on her shoulders, and she leaned lower to ease the strain.

And of course, the rest of her just slipped out of the hole.

With a yelp, she fell down. A sound burst inside her head, and she kicked at an invisible enemy. Something was pushing her up, and she let that force carry her - emerging her from the water.

She looked around, still somewhat confused.

It looked like an underground lake, cool and mysterious. The light that was inhabiting it - for there was no source for it to come from, so it must have lived there, dispersed in the air - was bouncing off the disturbed waters, casting reflections on the arch of the cave. The air itself was whispering something, half-awake, half-dreamy.

Slowly and carefully she made her way to shallow waters, to where the wall looked thinner. She ran her fingers through it - a curtain of leaves. Willow leaves. She was underneath a big silvery willow.

One deep breath and she stepped out.

It surely didn't took her long to go through the garden. The multitude of multicolored flowers was entertaining, the amazing insects amusing, but was that it?

She felt sad. She dimly recalled how, when she was small enough, she used to open mama's umbrella, cover it with a bed sheet and curl underneath it. The umbrella had a thousand little stars scattered on its black fabric, and she used to light a lamp and look up at her own tiny starry sky, a little bit blurred and vague, but all the more like the real sky.

She felt sad once she couldn't curl under the umbrella just as well. Trying to only made her body ache.

There were other things she grew out of. Like toys. Or books that lost their magic charm over the years. Really old doodles she couldn't even figure out anymore, if it wasn't for scribble explaining them. Bits of stones and candy wrappers that lost their value. The thrill of climbing up the big stairs in the shopping mall, and how it became a mundane thing once she grew up. Like an old language she had almost forgotten.

- Still, what was the meaning of that? - she asked aloud.

- Shell is a wonderful thing.

She almost jumped and looked around.

In her wandering, she came into a forest of tall grass. On an oversized mushroom sofa a blue caterpillar was reclining, laying back with a stately air around her. Beside state, there were swirls of smoke coiling around, and it seemed as if they had a life on their own.

- What's about shells? - the girl asked.

The caterpillar bit on her long elaborate pipe and inhaled. The girl took her time to examine the caterpillar. It actually looked like a woman clad in blues, with a long caterpillar tail running from down her hips.

The caterpillar lady exhaled. Numerous bracelets and bells jingled as her arms moved.

- They are beautiful, don't you think? - it wasn't that the caterpillar lady was talking slow. It was more like she simply let the word dwell on her tongue long enough for her to savour its taste. She took pleasure in the sound of her voice, as if it was a person separate from herself.

- It's just... - the girl gave her a shrug, - There are so many things. Like decorations and fake covers, masks and the like. Do we really need them?

- But of course. Don't you find it interesting to look at person's back? There are so many things piled up on it. It is most amusing to piece them out.

- Well... I suppose they do tell about the person a lot, but... Do we really, really need them?

- Ah, what a delicious naivety, - the lady smiled and exhaled a ring of smoke, - And yet, such a bare, brave wisdom. Imagine what would it be like, to throw all of your covers away, and walk naked, proud, vulnerable, fragile, to ache at the every touch, to burn at the every whisper... To be a raw core, vivid, livid, living...

The girl shivered and hugged herself.

- I take it back, - she said, - It's scary.

- I like that about you, - the lady said, - What you said before. You are able to dream of something so pure and bold. I'm devoid of that, much to my regret.

- But aren't you the one? The one who's brave and strong?

- Brave? Strong? Those are not the traits I associate myself with. I'm what you may call intellectual. I gain my strength from my mind, bravery, from my analysis, victory, from my knowledge. Before my mind's eyes, everything is illuminated with a bright light. But you do know that where is light...

- There is a shadow, right? - the girl continued, picking up from where the lady trailed off, - And the brighter the light, the darker the shadow, was that it? But could it be that you didn't know something?

The caterpillar twirled the pipe in her long, clawed hands.

- Perhaps, I merely didn't wish to acknowledge. You must know that this is a secret I only share with you. I didn't wish to be flexible, not the way they wanted me to. I didn't wish to bend under their will... perhaps I too can understand why was they afraid.

- Um...

The girl blinked. Then, she frowned.

- This is going nowhere, - she said aloud.

The caterpillar lady looked at her with interest.

- It's all that Wonderland stuff, isn't it, - the girl looked frustrated, - Well, I know that won't do me any good. I just wish I was in a more interesting dream. I mean, I've got enough things to boggle my mind, can't I just have an exiting dream for one night?

- Interesting, - the caterpillar lady mused, a shadowy smile tugging at her mouth.

- An you just talk nonsense, - the girl gave the lady an offended look, - I just want to find one person! I even met two natives, but would they tell me? Nooo, they'd rather dance around, dodge the question and distract me.

- Exiting, - the caterpillar lady echoed, leaning on her hand and watching the girl. Fireflies danced in her eyes.

- I really wish to have dreams more exiting than that...

- Beware, little girl, - the caterpillar lady smiled, - You ought to beware what you wish for. Wish one more time, and you never know what it will bring you.

- So what?

- So... - the lady inhaled, exhaled, and looked at the girl. Mischief gleamed underneath the lazy haze of her eyes, - Are you up to it? Will you walk down the road, whatever it might bring you?

The lady dashed forward, quick like a venomous snake, and smiled pleasantly, her long silky hair surrounding the girl.

- Think about it, - she murmured, - Just one step, and there would be no turning back. The perfect moment of balance on the tip of the blade. The most alive moment before plunging into the oblivion. The crystal clear knowledge of everything that was.

- That was you, wasn't it, - the girl breathed out.

- Yes. This, too, I have felt.

The caterpillar crept back onto her mushroom cushions, and resume her lazy lay.

- So what would it be, - she asked, glancing at the girl over the smokes, - Do you wish to walk the road that will change your very being? Do you wish to walk the road that will crush you and possibly rebuild you anew? Do you wish to walk the dark road, lost and abandoned? It was three times that I asked you. You can still turn back, having wished only two times.

The girl watched the caterpillar lady and the coils of smoke so intently, as if a sacred runes would appear, revealing an answer.

- I won't be alone, will I? - the girl said, - Because you are abandoned just like me. Isn't that why I am you and you are me?

- But of course, - the lady smiled and closed her eyes, savouring the taste of her words and the smoke, - Say it and accept our fate.

- I wish for an exiting dream of a dark path, - the girl said quietly, but firmly.

The caterpillar lady smiled and put her closed hand forward, motioning the girl to accept something from her.

Into the girl's open palm she put a shard of dim blue.

And everything faded into a fog of smoke.

*~*/КТ/*~*

When Kathryn came to, she was in a corridor.

- Oh, great, - she said bitterly, - Very exciting.

The corridor had no roof, and there was a sunset sky overhead. She looked around, but the corridor seemed perfectly straight, both on her left and her right.

She fingered the wall. It was glistering.

Then she froze at a thought. She looked around once more, pulled at the nearest vine and climbed up the wall, nearly falling down in the process.

She nearly fell off it again, laughing.

- Okay, I take it back! It should really be exciting!

The girl climbed on the wall an stood up.

- Right, who knows where that worm is, I might as well walk around. Come on, feet!

Kathryn wasn't really keen on going through the labyrinth, but a walk across it seemed fine. It wasn't easy, though, because the walls were old and crumbling. The only thing that kept her going was a clear knowledge she was inside a dream, so she wasn't afraid to hurt herself.

Scenery changed around her as she was skipping along the walls. She soon discovered that she could fly - or rather, float like a balloon. It made her progress faster. She floated above labyrinth's corridors and passageways, drifted across the garbage heaps, and floated again through the Goblin City, skipping on the roofs.

Her destination, the Castle, loomed its walls above her.

She looked at the enormous suit of armor on the gates to the Castle, an decided against using the main entrance.

After all, she could fly to a degree, right? Finding a suitable window was no problem.

The Castle proved to be just as eccentric as the labyrinth itself. Kathryn wasn't really surprised; then again, she didn't really tried to work out how things worked here. The only time she took interest in her surroundings was when she stumbled upon a small door that reached up to her waist. She opened it to find a smaller door behind it, and just so, out of curiosity, she opened one door after the other.

- What would you know, Labyrinth is a Wonderland, - she mumbles, - Kinda makes sense... creepy kind of a sense...

She stopped at the last door, which was no bigger that her palm. That should be the last one, she said. Kathryn wasn't going to look for suspicious drinks, but she wouldn't mind one peek.

She opened the door. She blinked.

There was a wall of tiny red bricks behind the tiny door.

Kathryn laughed, closed all the doors and resumed strolling.

Later, she came across goblins, but they took little interest in her. They didn't seem quite as rampaging and crazy as she imagined them to be, and they whispered something to each other.

On a whim, she picked one goblin up, raised him at eye level and beamed:

- You remind me of a baby, - she said, trying to suppress giggles.

Goblin's brows furrowed:

- Nah-ah, no do, - goblin said, - Dat's what King seiz. No singin' without tha King.

- Okay, - the girl didn't argue, - Do you mind telling what's wrong here with the long faces?

Goblin's eyes shifted.

- Chickens, - he breathed out at last.

- What about chickens?

- They're plottin' a revolt, - he said. His voice was full of conspiracy.

- Chickens?

- Laugh all ya want, missus, - the goblin said sourly, - But when they rise, ya'll know, but dat's be too late for ya.

Then, the goblin kicked and sent her a rather ferocious glare, so she out him on a ground. He walked to the left. She thought for a bit and went to the right.

And then, she came across a black chicken.

It was an perfectly ordinary chicken, jet-black and busy-looking. It would stop to scratch at the floor from time to time, as if trying to dig a worm out of the stone.

Despite herself, Kathryn couln'd help feeling interested.

She followed the chicken, maintaining an impression of walking around at random; at times she thought that the chicken peered at her suspiciously, but what could a hen prove?

Kathryn followed the bird to a kitchen. She nearly lost sight of it, but soon found a small hole in the wall, hid by a dirty piece of cloth. She put the cloth aside and looked inside.

There were black chickens everywhere.

She blinked at the big black rooster with a chicken-sized helmet on its head. Apparently, she caught him mid-sentence.

The whole flock turned their heads and looked at her.

- Hello, - the girl ventured in a friendly manner, - Sorry to interrupt your scheming, really. As an apology, allow me to give you a piece of advice - since you are located near the kitchen, just give everybody some food poisoning. Peace out!

Apparently, chickens didn't like the fact somebody knew about their meet-up.

Kathryn ran through corridors frantically, ominous and persistent chicken flock behind her.

She didn't want to try out whether they could hurt you, dreamworld or not.

- Chickens! - she yelled, passing through the corridors at full-speed, - Chiiickensss!

The corridor suddenly burst open into a big hall. She still ran, and stopped only when she fell.

She rolled over and felt her way around. She was in a small hole in the floor.

She sat up and looked around.

Now the goblins looked perfectly rampaging and crazy, battling the flock of black chickens. Following the cries of the feathered brethren, other chickens gathered around the throne room. It hurt the eye to look at the mess.

Kathryn stood up and walked through the hall, dodging fighters.

There was a stairway going up. She fingered the wall, looked back at the battlefield, smiled and began her ascend.

Memory served her right.

It was that room where you couldn't tell floor from ceiling and where gravity worked in funny ways. The room, full of stairways an passages, each could be used at several different ways, walked at several different directions.

Not that she could actually see all of the above - her vision was limited, but from what she saw, the room of stairs was just as grand as she imagined it to be.

She was on a small platform. The girl came closer to the edge and looked down - and it seemed like a really long way. She could see only a couple of steps away from her, so she didn't know whether there was any stairs nearby.

- Oh well, who needs them, - she murmured, leaning forward, - I guess it's meant to be the all-or-nothing kind of way.

She smiled, even if only to reassure herself, and took a step into the thin air.

*~*/КТ/*~*

It wasn't that NiGHTS hated nightmares.

They were just another form of a dream. More than that, they were essentially what dreamers created, as no dream can exist without the heart of the Visitor. He didn't hate dreams, and he most certainly didn't hate Visitors, so he saw little point in hating nightmares.

Nightmarens, on the other hand, were a whole separate issue.

He was a free spirit, and he was all for remaining as such. He liked to roam dreamscapes and see different sights, different Visitors...

It wasn't that he was in full control of the dreams. Owl probably was, but not him. NiGHTS only could enter a specific dream if a specific dreamer was there - in other words, ne needed a connection. Any other time he just let the flow take him whenever he went.

It should be noted that Nightopia and Nightmare are neighbors. So the currents go both way.

The dreamscape he visited started as a rather innocent one, but gradually became dusty and dark. He was thinking about turning back and looking for some other dream, but then he felt some tugging.

There was a Visitor here, too.

He circled around a castle that manifested itself in the dream, and entered it via a window. It took him little time to adjust to the stairs on walls and the ceiling - he only had to choose where his floor would be.

- NiGHTS! - a familiar voice called out to him, - I didn't expect to see you here!

He looked around and saw a girl's figure one floor below. He flew down and approached it:

- Oh, hello, Kathryn! Fancy meeting you here!

The girl smiled.

NiGHTS had to admit he felt uneasy. The dreamscape was just too close to the Nightmare. He and Owl didn't quite agree what to do with Kathryn, only that they should watch her for the time being - but if he could prevent her falling into a nightmare, he was all for it.

- You can fly and you are a dream being, - Kathryn said, walking along the platform. NiGHTS eyes followed her, - So I guess it doesn't amaze you the way it does me. I liked Escher's drawings, and always wanted to visit the Relativity room.

She turned around, standing at the far end of the platform, and smiled:

- Dreams are so great because you can experience things you normally can't. I guess I should be envying you, NiGHTS.

Then, the girl took a step backwards.

NiGHTS actually shrieked in surprise and mild fear, and drilldashed forward, only to see Kathryn standing upside-down, laughing.

- That's not funny! - he said angrily, - I thought you would fall down!

- I'm sorry, - the girl said, smiling apologetically. Her smile widened, - Think of it as my come-back for the stupid bird.

- I don't like you, - NiGHTS announced, sitting in the air with his legs crossed and his arms folded under his gem.

- Oh, come on, - Kathryn said in a light voice, - I thought you meet all sorts of Visitors, surely you must have learned how to deal with them.

- No one said I have to.

- Oh, what's about helping others then? I thought you was the hero and defender of Nightopia!

- Me, a hero? I just feel like it. Besides, I like the place, so I don't want marens ruining it.

- What a selfish little creature you are, - Kathryn said with feigned amazement, - You broke my child-like illusion of a knight in shining armor. Shame on you.

- Whatever you say, - he looked around and found her walking though a passage in the wall, - By the way, do you feel like waking up soon?

- Why are you asking?

- Oh? No reason.

He lied.

It was already here, as if the whole room got submerged in water. They were in the nightmare territory now.

- Kathryn! - he called out, dashing after her.

He maintained his calm. He just have to make her wake up. He can always escape later. Just make the Visitor wake up - since she can't dualize for the time being, any serious battles would have to wait.

- Well, well, - a chillingly soft voice spoke, - Fancy meeting you here, NiGHTS.

The purple jester slowly raised his head in the direction of the voice.

There was a dark figure in a passage just above him.

It was a right choice to dash away, as Reala practically divebombed to get him. They clashed, kicked and dashed away from each other. NiGHTS glanced around him frantically, looking for the passageway Kathryn disappeared into; then, he flew in the opposite direction, trying to lure.

- Away with the wild chase again, are we, NiGHTS? - Reala taunted from behind him, - How long do you think you can escape?

- As long as I need to! - he replied and turned around to face him.

But there was nobody behind him.

With a chill a the back of his mind, NiGHTS silently cursed and dashed back, looking for Visitor and the pale maren.

He found Kathryn first; the girl was standing on the stairway, apparently trying to descend it backwards.

- Kathy! - he yelled, - Wake up now!

She looked up at him, genuinely puzzled.

A shleep jumped on NiGHTS back from the side, and he struggled to get it off.

- Just wake up! - he yelled again.

Not Reala, he thought frantically. The girl is enough problem as she is, she can't dualize, something's wrong with her Ideyas, she's stubborn as pain, just not Reala...

She was, indeed, enough trouble as is. She didn't wake up, she didn't ran away - rather, she ran towards NIGHTS with that determined look on her face.

There wasn't even any blue chips in sight - what was she going to do? Help him?

He fought the shleep off and dashed forward.

And of course, it was the very moment Reala chose to appear. He drilldashed out of the corridor just beneath NiGHTS, and the power of the impact sent the purple jester flying high up. Needless to say, there were a number of lower marens already waiting for him.

- Keep quiet, sibling, - Reala said, a menace in his grin, - I will get you in your turn. As of now...

All the marens, albeit low-level, were great in number, so when NiGHTS got rid of one, the other would immediately attack. That rendered him almost useless, so he could only watch his rival slowly approaching the girl.

- Kathryn, will you listen to me for once? - the purple jester yelled, struggling and fighting his way out of the maren mob, - Just wake up already!

The girl actually wanted to yell back that she was trying, but chose not to.

- Oh, do try waking up, Visitor, - Reala smiled, as if knowing about her futile attempts.

- I must say that I find it quite rude to be addressed as such, - the girl ventured, - I do have a name.

- Isn't that so, - his voice, albeit soft and velveteen, had a unmistakable layer to it in its depth. The layer that clearly conveyed a sense of grave danger.

The pale maren came closer, and drifted a little sideways. Kathryn followed, and she couldn't help the disdain at being the mouse.

Reala, of course, being the cat. And NiGHTS was still quite far away.

- So, wouldn't you give me your name? - Reala smiled an alluring smile.

- Shouldn't a gentleman introduce himself first? - Kathryn said, smiling a similar smile. She did felt nervous, she did felt intimidated, but she couldn't wake up, so all she could do was hopefully buying NiGHTS some time.

- Of course, - he bowed, not letting his eyes off his prey, - I am Reala, the general of Nightmare.

He looked up, to where NIGHTS was still fighting the marens off.

- I suppose you and NIGHTS are already acquainted, - Reala said with a almost transparent venom in his vocie, - So there is no need to introduce my sibling, too.

- Why, NiGHTS, you never said you had such a handsome bother! - Kathryn glanced up too, and her heart sank to see the jester making no progress in fight. Some self-proclaimed defender of Nightopia he is, she though bitterly.

She backed away a little and gave Reala a curtsey.

- I am Kathryn, the Visitor from the Waking. Pleased to meet you.

- The pleasure is all mine, - Reala's voice sounded almost taunting.

What a farce, Kathryn thought.

Taking cover in the deep bow of her head, she glanced back.

It was the end of the platform. Good heavens, that you for the help.

She jumped back and dived for the ground far below.

Kathryn had to admit that it was more of a desperate move rather than a clever escape, but she had little time to hate herself for the lack of ability.

Because Reala was close at her side, a perfect grin of a predator on his lips.

She gasped when he grabbed her by her shoulders. Her fall came to a halt when he plunged her into a wall. With her vision clouded and blurry, she could not see what was happening - she only heard NiGHTS shouting and Reala chuckling, the sound sending shivers down her spine.

There was a sudden emptiness inside her, so void and clear she felt like crying. A small part of her couldn't comprehend what had happened, and was yelling in denial.

It felt like something cool and smooth brushed her fingers, and she immediately grasped the object. Her blurry vision saw only a blue shine, and her arms felt some sort of a sphere.

Kathryn slumped to the floor, holding the sphere tightly.

- Is that all? - came a hiss from above.

Her vision was already clearing, so she looked up...

Then, she heard NiGHTS gasp in bewilderment.

Reala was holding a sphere at his arm's length, a disdain and scorn clear on his masked face. There were three other spheres he was holding in the other hand, al all of them looked the same.

_Dull._ Gray. With a shine you could barely distinguish.

- I know about you, - Reala hissed again, turning the sphere in his hand, - There's always a Visitor who would wake up when we drag him to us. He's a favored prey, that Visitor, because his Ideyas prove to be one of the best, but these...

His fingers flexed. Kathryn didn't even moved, and just stared into his face, as the shards of her Ideya slowly died away in the air.

- Impure, - Reala spat, and took another sphere, - Hopeless. Stale. Dumb and numb, those Ideyas are hardly worthy of our Master. You dissapoint me, Visitor.

She never tore her wide eyes away, she didn't make a single sound nor she looked at the shards. Her face looked like а frozen mask.

NiGHTS dashed at the pale maren, but the latter was already submerging into the black portal beneath his feet.

- I let you be as of today, sibling - Reala said arrogantly, - But do not expect mercy the next time we meet.

And with these words, the maren was gone. The purple jester almost cried in rage.

But then, his attention turned towards the girl.

She was trembling, her frozen, unblinking eyes full of tears.

- Kathryn... - NiGHTS whispered, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, - Oh, Kathryn...

The girl closed her eyes shut, spilling tears, and shouted.

It was a shout full of despair, grief and denial, and it resonated throughout the whole room.

And the echo didn't die for a long time.

* * *

**Kai: **Ahaha) cliffhanger, isn't it? I know, you'll definitely have some questions to us already - I think questions like "what knows the Owl?" =3 but I can't tell you - you'll see it. later. ;) hope you like our creation. =3

So, that's all - for now. We'll come back, I'll promise - we already know all the plot - just we must type it. =) but - oh, time, there are you then we need you? =( I'm on my last year in university, diploma and other "pleasant" things( Tai is also on her last year, and she have some problems with her education, so... I think you can understand.

may be there will be something before July and August, maybe not. I guess somewhere closer to the end summer we'll return to this story. =) Yes,yes so long - diploma and exams are waiting me and Tai ...and, heck - I need to get a job! or my mom gonna kill me =_=. heh, problems - here you are, as always...

well, anyway, for now - good bye! =) Until next time! =)

...and, of course - **Read and Review**! _your comments and words give us inspiration to create! =3 who knows, may be we'll write faster... anything can happen)_


	10. The ninth night

**The ninth night**

Both NiGHTS and Owl were waiting for Kathryn with anxiety.

They couldn't find her for two nights straight. That was only to be expected, Owl said. NiGHTS knew that, too. Helping Visitors with no Ideyas save for one was his forte, after all.

But Kathryn was sort of a special case.

- I didn't quite sink in yet, I think. I mean, I saw it with my own eyes, but I can't believe it, - NiGHTS kept on muttering, - I mean, she looked fairly _normal_! Nothing out of ordinary except her inability to dualize, but a normal Visitor through and through!

Owl was silent.

- We've seen Visitors with five Ideyas, four Ideyas, three, two, one, name it, but four out of five being grey? What does that makes her, Owl?

- She has only one as of now either way.

- Yes, but she had the whole set! Four out of five being grey! How can a Visitor her age have only one Ideya shining?

- She has only one Ideya. We both know how to treat that.

- That's actually what worries me as well, - NiGHTS frowned, - Even if the Ideya is stolen, it's not lost. It's still somewhere in the Mare, you know that. But Reala just went and shattered Kathryn's. How would we help her recover I can't imagine.

He was close to tears.

Owl stretched his wing, hushing NiGHTS. The old bird seems to listen to something far away.

In the beginning of the path to the Dream Plaza, a light flickered.

Purple jester stood up and flew closer, speeding up as he saw a girl's figure walk through the gates.

- Kathryn! I was so worried about you! Are you okay? About the Ideyas...

The girl shot him a glare.

- Kathy... I'm sorry I let him broke yours. I really am sorry. But I can help you recover them!

- Thank you. I won't be needing it.

NiGHTS was startled, to say the least. Her voice sounded... wrong. It was lower, and at the same time more ethereal, and seemed to come out in puffs of cold mist so thin they might as well not be there at all.

Her eyes bothered him, too. It's not that they held any malice, but he felt a sucking pit creep into existence somewhere below his feet.

- Kathy! - he pleaded as she walked past him, - I can imagine how you feel! I'm sorry, I really am! But I've seen a lot of Visitors with one Ideya. I've helped them!..

- It's okay. I'll manage. Thanks all the same.

She continued to walk, aiming for somewhere beyond the fountain.

Owl flew in her way, flapping wings in solemn mid-air.

- Kathryn, - he said softly, - Please listen to NiGHTS. Both he and I can help you. Your Ideyas were stolen, but not lost.

- If you allow me to correct you, - she pointed out, - Mine were shattered. They are as good as lost now. I know that.

- Even so, - Owl pressed, - We can help you recover what was lost.

- Oh, don't misunderstand. It's not that I don't appreciate your help. I just rather no one goes into my territory. This is my mistake, my problem to deal with. I believe I will be able to recover on my own.

Owl studied her. NiGHTS couldn't tell what the old bird was thinking, but he was hoping he would somehow persuade Kathryn...

A tired, sad smile seemed to form in bird's eyes.

- You are adamant about it, aren't you.

Kathryn gave him a firm nod.

- Just know that we a here always, should you need any help. I know how you value your independence, but really, it's no shame if you need help.

- I'm aware of that. But unless I'm truly unable to overcome this, don't expect me coming.

- Until we meet again, then.

NiGHTS dashed forward, but Kathryn's form had already disappeared into thin air.

- Where did she went?

- Somewhere she is at ease.

- I can't believe you! I thought we had decided to help her! What's with that "Until we meet again"?

Owl sat on the edge of the fountain.

- I think... I understand her. I've met someone like her, before you came. She was just as stubborn. What I think is, - he hushed NiGHTS, who was about to protest, with a wave of a wing, - She has to try and recover on her own. She is not like the rest of the Visitors, after all. If she can produce new Ideyas on her own, she would grow that much stronger. If she can't, we can always try to help.

- Try to?

The old bird sighed.

- Her original set did have four grey Ideyas, after all.

* * *

Cool and smooth. Just like that. Underneath her feet, Kathryn felt a cool, smooth surface.

That surface was rippling from her walking.

- So how is it going? That dream of a dark path?

The girl leaned and looked into the water. A lady with long silver hair, dressed in blue, was looking back at her.

- You... was hurt, wasn't you?

- Aren't we both? Really, I think I'm used to it.

- But it still hurts.

- Yes. A lot.

They walked for a while, each step reflected.

- Even though I... - the girl searched for words, - You... _we_ said that. Do you think _we_ will make it on our own?

- So you hurt, too.

- I am. But that's not the question.

- Don't you know the answer?

- Yes, I know that _we_ should be strong - you've been teaching me that from the very first day, haven't you? I know that to be or not to be is out of question. I have to get it all back with my own strength.

She waited for lady's reply, then breathed in to continue speaking, and stopped.

- I know, - Kathryn let out a sigh, - _You_ are _me_, _I_ am _you_. So _we_ are... one single being. Mirrored and reflected.

- More like cast, as a matter of fact.

- Right. Light and shadow, was that it? And the object itself, too. Being that, being one, _we_ can't be weak. _We_ only can go on. Meaning, - she let out a sigh, - _I_ don't get any comfort even from _you_.

- I've never learned comfort. I only know strength. I am here, with everything I am - is that not enough?

- It is, but... I know _I_ don't have to question anything; _I_ only need to go and get back what's mine. _Ours_. But what's then? Would _I_ be really satisfied with just that?

- I am not tied to anything anymore.

- And to _me_?

- Isn't it the other way around?

- I suppose it is. So _I_ just live and become strong, even stronger, so that _that person_ won't be disappointed?

The girl kneeled down on the surface of the water, and the lady in blue did the same.

- So, what's the point?

- _You_ will feel satisfied. Because that would mean _you_ are still close to _him_.

- Do I love _him_, or just the sole idea of being able to love?

- Does that matter? - the blue lady smiled, - So, how is my exciting dream of a dark path?

- I don't know yet, - Kathryn said, - But I kind of want to find out. It's not like I'm alone.

The lady in blue laughed softly, and stretched her hand out towards the girl.

In her palm, a shard of blue light blinked, and slipped through her slender fingers.

Kathryn hurried to catch it, but missed, and caught it with the other hand as it floated above the water.

Just as she caught the shard of glass, she realized that she and the lady in blue were now holding hands.

* * *

**Kai:** Hello to you, all our readers! =D We are back... sort of. well, trying to)

This chapter is one of our old - we didn't post it, so now we are trying to return to this story... and as a beginning - we post this. =) As you see - all is not so bad... sort of. May be. =D

Well, I saw some new readers... hope you like our story - and, well... say something about it, pleaseee... =3

**Tai: **Hello? Is anybody still reading this?

Anyhow, hi-hi and welcome back! After a little more than a year of hiatus, we're picking up from where we started. Or, at least, trying to pick up. And follow the threads through art blocks and whatnot. The story is going through second rewriting process as is, but I already want to start anew. Witness the glorious struggle as it unfolds!

In any case, what the hell. Let's finish this.


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